Transcript: Regular Council - Jun 01 2026

Good evening everyone. About to start the meeting. Yeah, it's great to see everybody here on this uh beautiful Monday night. It's uh great to see you all and a special also welcome to uh Chief Abraham Elki from the So Nation. Honor to have you here too, sir. All right. So I'm calling the June 1st regular council meeting to order. We acknowledge meeting in the traditional territories of Laquangan, Chinoten, and Hokamin speaking First Nations with whom we are committed to building stronger working relationships. Tonight's meeting is being livereamed and recorded, enhancing transparency, inclusiveness, accountability, and efficiency. Members of the public can watch live or view the recording later through our meeting portal under the tonight's agenda page or on the District of Highlands YouTube channel.

Information and links to access the meeting were provided on tonight's agenda. We have received I believe 20 requests to uh speak during petitions and delegations portion of the meeting. If there anyone who hasn't registered wish to speak, please approach the podium and state your name address to be added to the list. Okay, with those additions to agenda, I look for approval of the agenda. Moved by councelor Rousing, seconded by council Stanton. Discussion. Seeing none, I'll call the question. All those in favor? Opposed? None opposed. That carries. Which brings us to petitions and delegations. We had 59 written submissions that were received at the time of agenda publication and an additional 17 written items were received after the agenda publication for a total of 76. The later submissions were added to meeting agenda at 1 p.m. today for council's consideration and form part of the official public record. Those wishing to speak tonight, this is a chance for the public to share views with council. is not a time for debate or questions. Each speaker has five minutes and will be

timed. Please stay on topic and state your points clearly. Before we invite our first speaker, we would like to establish the following meeting conduct and expectations. To ensure a respectful and productive environment, all participants are expected to conduct themselves with courtesy and professionalism. The chair reserves the right to call a recess or adjourn the meeting if conduct becomes disruptive. Individuals who do not adhere to adhere to these expectations may be asked to leave. To ensure that this is a safe place for everyone to share their views, the following behaviors will not be permitted during this meeting. Interruptions, positive or negative outbursts, including clapping or cheering or personal criticisms directed at individuals or groups. Use of rude, offensive, or inappropriate language or gestures.

Actions that disrupt or unnecessarily delay the meeting's progress. Questioning the motives or integrity of others, making negative comments about anybody, anyone's personality or character, speaking disrespectfully, or to acting aggressively toward any person. We appreciate everyone's cooperation and fostering a respectful and inclusive space. When you are called upon, please approach the podium and turn on the microphone. There's a button at the bottom. And when you are finished speaking, please turn off the microphone and return to your seat. So, with that being said, uh I think uh we're ready to start the petitions and delegations portions of the evening. And I'd like to start with my first speaker on the list, which is Allison Gladwell.

Yeah, red light will come on the top of the microphone. Uh, thank you to Mayor and Council for hearing me tonight. My name is Allison Gladwell. Stuart Duncan and I live at 115 Ross Rance Road. Stuart has lived in the Highlands for 30 years and I've lived here for 10 years. We are opposed to the tough reasoning application at 119. We're opposed to any kind of resoning at 119. Being direct neighbors, we are exposed to a good portion of activities next door. We share two property lines. Elena Joe and Stephanie came to talk to us before they purchased 119. At that time, we told them we would never support resoning. Elena acknowledged the municipality had concerns before they purchased the property.

Neighbors and community groups have worked hard over many years to make the Highlands what it is today. We fear reszoning will set a precedent and open an opportunity for others to do the same, changing the face of the highlands. Our concerns are fire, water use, noise, traffic, camping, the volume of people, loss of privacy, marketing of Peas Lake, and waste disposal. We leave sleepover activities at 119 and find it very stressful. Cedar Song is in the wrong location. They're trying to change the zoning to comply with their needs rather than complying to the current reszoning. Thriving roots wilderness school and counseling services is one business run by Lena currently operating in a chosen.

Stephanie runs her own businesses at 119. She offers retreats that bring in instructors and participants for yoga classes to therapeutic group. Stephanie is also listed as a retreat manager for the Cedar Song. She also or she does not live on the Highlands and seems to have very little feel for what the Highlands community is. Cedar Song is marketing accommodation in both yurts and log cabins and camping while I offering um psychedelic therapy, nature therapy, yogurt and outdoor education for all ages. It seems you can also barter for services by gardening for gourmet meals prepared by student. We are opposed to reszoning of any kind at 119 and would like 119 to remain green belt and owners to comply with the existing law. Thank you for hearing me. Thank you.

Our next speaker is Adrien Selby. Hello, Mayor Council staff. Thank you for the time and care you have devoted in considering the temporary use permit application for Cedar Song Center for Wild Belonging. It is clear from the volume of correspondence and public participation that many people care deeply about this issue. I would like to offer a thought not so much about the details of the application itself but about the role council is being asked to play in making this decision. The neighbors most directly affected by this proposal deserve to be heard. Their concerns about traffic, privacy, noise, [clears throat] and land use are genuine concerns. I believe they should carry significant weight in your deliberations.

At the same time, I would respectfully encourage council to remember that neighbor concerns, while important, are one factor among many that council is obligated to consider. If the standard becomes whether the immediate neighbors support or oppose a proposal, then we have effectively delegated land use decisions to the people who live closest to a property. Yet, council was elected to weigh a broader set of considerations, consistency with the official community plan, stewardship of the land, the evidence presented, long-term community interests, and the overall public good. The Highlands official community PR plan places extraordinary value on conservation, stewardship, ecological protection, environmental education, and fostering meaningful connections to the natural world. These are not peripheral ideas within the OCP. They are central to the vi to the vision of what the Highlands seeks to be.

As you consider this application, I hope you will consider not only the concerns being expressed, but also the extent to which the proposed use advances those objectives. I also want to acknowledge that the neighbors are not speculating about every aspect of this proposal. The operation has been active for some time and many neighbors have shared their experiences. Those experiences are relevant and deserve careful consideration. However, council's role is not simply to count the number of people who support or oppose this application. It is to assess the nature, scale, and significance of the impacts being described. Weigh them against the potential benefits and determine whether conditions can be imposed to address legitimate concerns.

The question before council is not whether impacts exist. Nearly every land use in the highlands has impacts of some kind. We accept traffic from residents, noise from equipment, livestock, dogs, home businesses, construction projects, and a variety of other lawful activities. The question is whether the impacts associated with this proposal are reasonable, manageable, and justified in light of the broader public interest. In my view, the temporary use permit process exists for precisely this reason. It provides a mechanism for council to impose conditions, monitor compliance, evaluate impacts, and make future decisions based on demonstrated performance rather than assumptions alone. I also hope council will consider the potential benefits alongside the potential impacts. This property is being proposed as a place where children develop a meaningful relationship with the natural world, where invasive species are removed, native plants are restored, and stewardship is actively practiced and taught. It is a place where ecological awareness, responsibility, and care for the land are cultivated in the next generation.

Whether one ultimately supports or opposes the application, those benefits deserve to be weighed [snorts] alongside concerns about traffic, privacy, and noise. The decision before you is not simply whether some neighbors approve the proposal. It is whether after considering all relevant interests, all available evidence and the values expressed in the official community plan, this temporary use permit serves the broader public interest. That balancing of competing interests is one of the most important responsibilities entrusted to elected officials. I appreciate the care with which you approach that responsibility and thank you for your consideration. respectfully Adrien Selby 3320 Lage Place. Thank you. Our next speaker is Tim Bosen Cool.

Good evening, Mayor Williams and Council. Um, my name is Tim Bosen and I'm the resident caretaker of the Wii Nature Sanctuary. I've been a resident in the Highlands here for a wonderful 10 years and I would like to just read uh what I wrote to the council earlier please. Um I'm standing here to provide a perspective on thriving route school based on our recent interactions. As the resident caretaker of the Mamaya Nature Sanctuary, I recently oversaw the hosting of the school on our property for two of their seasonal programs running through autumn and winter and spring 2025 and 2026. This arrangement pro provided a direct opportunity to observe how the staff and students utilize the space and manage day-to-day operations. Every other weekend, groups of roughly 20 to 30 youth and adults were actively on the property. Living in such close proximity to an outdoor school gives you a very real sense of how they operate, and my experience in hosting them was largely positive.

From a land management perspective, human impact is a paramount importance to a nature sanctuary. The thriving roots team showed a consistent commitment to low impact use of the land. Operating outdoor school naturally brings foot and vehicle traffic, but their staff easily and successfully managed the groups to ensure the property was respected. They adhered strictly to our established boundaries, utilized appropriate areas for their activities, and left the sites in excellent condition at the end of each session. vehicle traffic was carpooled and organized. It is clear that teaching environmental awareness and a practical respect for local ecosystems is a core component of their programming. At the nature sanctuary, we actively manage the sanctuary to ensure sound impacts remain minimal, a standard that thriving roots consistently respected.

When you have large groups right outside your living space, sound is inevitable, but we have a choice in how we perceive it. Rather than an unpleasant disruption, the noise from the programs was simply the sound of youth experiencing joy, safe structure, and genuine connection to nature, laughing, singing, and the occasional wolf call was the extent of their audio footprint. I witnessed no scream therapy, loud music, excessive yelling. More often than not, I heard nothing from them. To put it in perspective, several unpermitted neighborhood parties and resulting trespassers have caused significantly more noise disruption and environmental degradation on the property than the entirety of the Thriving Roots programs combined.

Throughout their time here, I was respected and included by both the leaders and the students. The Thriving Roots team has been proactive in their communications and more than willing to address operational details in a timely manner. Their core values and respect and community were obvious in every interaction. These encounters inspired a genuine sense of optimism. Many me seeing these youth fully engaged with the land makes it clear how the real long-term impact will be. A young participant shared how deeply she'd fall in love with the highlands. To her, this wasn't just a weekend field trip. It was a rugged nature natural treasure she couldn't wait to get back to. Programs like this are developed the exact mindset needed to connect to and protect the highlands.

The connection wasn't just theoretical, it was practical as well. The participants actively took on stewardship tasks around the sanctuary, willingly tackling invasive species removal, debris removal, property maintenance projects. They pitched in with a shared spirit of helpfulness, demonstrating that they weren't just users of the space, but active participants in its upkeep. In an era when it is far too easy for the younger generation to escape into a harmful digital world, providing a safe physical space for them to engage with the earth is vital. Driving roots fosters a genuine sense of gratitude and reciprocity towards the land rather than just treating it as an empty playground.

Maintaining large land parcels in the highlands presents a massive challenge under current municipal constraints. Land managers need community partners to help care for these spaces. For these reasons, I strongly encourage the mayor and council to fully support thriving roots. The program represents a rare, mutually beneficial opportunity that will serve the Highlands well into the future. Thank you very much for your time. Thank you. Our next speaker is Zoe Pickle. Good evening, mayor and council and everyone in the audience. My name is Zoe Pickle and I'm a lifelong teacher and learner who believes in building bridges. Bridges made of connection, love, and trust that become stronger each time they are walked upon. ones that in turn link worlds together that may otherwise be estranged.

Bridges that lead us forward into a more positive future where care for Mother Earth is at the center of what we do. Not just for the future we may experience in our lifetimes, but for generations after we are gone. For the last 5 years, I've proudly been working at Thriving Roots Wilderness School, and I've witnessed countless bridges being built. pathways of connection that span not just between humans but also between us and the natural world. And when these built between us when these are built and the junkos nesting at the edge of the meadows and between us the fiddle heads beginning to take form in the spring and between us the cedars who help us breathe. We begin to feel more whole as human beings and we can feel kin with the world around us.

the many youth I have had the immense pleasure and some of whom are sitting in this room today and standing at the back as well. Um they are the most profoundly whole adolesccents I've met in my entire 20 plus years of teaching children. They are emotionally literate environmental stewards that are both aware of crises in the natural world through understanding flora and fauna intimately and capable of responding to them. They know how to listen deeply to one another even when conflict arises to see the ruptures and to work together towards repair. They are blossoming leaders with resiliency to aid in positive change. And just this year, I've had the pleasure of watching five previous students graduate onto high school, return to Thriving Roots every week to apprentice, helping the very programs they were students in, and get accepted into the Satna ecological education center seek program on Satna Island for this coming year.

There they will research high value environmental projects, participate in weekly community service, and continue to be models for impactful education in the province. These are the kind of youth who will be tending to our precious natural spaces of Victoria, the Highlands, and beyond. They already do. They show up outside of school hours in service to the community. From tending cedar songs gardens to selling incredible handmade goods at local markets, youth connected in these land-based ways are in perfect alignment with the rural values of the highlands and specifically correlate with the OCP section 3.1 to enhance environmental awareness and promote activities that protect and restore the natural environment and section 8.8 Eight nature-based activities for children that support environmental awareness, understanding, and appreciation, and stewardship are encouraged. They know how to build both bridges and to help them grow stronger.

Highlanders, I know we ruptured our relationship with many of you in the fall with the resoning application. We didn't build necessary bridges to gain your trust. I do however strongly believe that with this temporary use permit, with the reports and information shared, our willingness to listen to neighbors and flexibility to adapt our approach, we can hear everyone's voice and work together towards something that is so much greater than any of us. [snorts] We can repair our relations. And for those in favor of this temporary use permit and those against it, we have more in common than some may think. We all desire meaningful connections to the natural world. Whether that's continuing to live live peacefully in the highlands or to facilitate life-changing wilderness education, we all feel the immense value of what the Highlands has to offer.

So I ask all of you from the bottom of my heart as someone dedicated to a lifelong teacher and steward of youth to be open to building bridges together and for what we choose to do now will really last for generations to come. Thank you. Thank you council. Thank you Zoe. I just like to remind speakers that we're addressing council not the audience. All right. Um, I'm going to bring up Chris Adams and Oak Adams. I believe we have father and son here. My name is Chris Adams. I live at 46 Patton Avenue in Victoria. And coming from Victoria, um, I know this is the Highlands and we're coming here as guests. So, mayor, council, staff, thank you. And a big thank you also for Chief Pelky being here to listen to what's going on today. And I say I'm coming from Victoria, but that's something my family has been doing now for a very, very long time as respectful visitors.

And I was speaking with my father this morning, and he was reminding me about the drives we would take with my great-grandmother to the Highlands. It was her favorite place in the world. And it was a place where my father in the 1960s as a scout was able to walk from Francis King almost all the way to McKenzie bite without seeing anyone else. And so we've also encountered as a family the changes here. And the Highlands is a place that as a family we love as well. And in the time that my son Oak has been in the thriving roots programs, seeing his connection with this place blossom and what that has given him as a future steward of these lands and the bigger lands around us in this region has been truly incredible.

And that connection between my great-grandmother down to my son is something that I am also willing to stand up for. It's something that's been incredibly valuable for us as a family and I'm really grateful for all the hard work people in the Highlands, the the councils, the mayors, and even the time before it became a district, all that hard work that has been put in to creating a place where these opportunities could exist. And this morning, I was really thinking about how these divisions that seem to be present between us just are representative of how much we care. And that if we maybe took a little bit of a step back, I think we would see that we're we're really fighting for the same thing here.

We're fighting for the future of our children. We're fighting for the future of this beautiful natural world around us. And taking a step even further back, I I hear often from my friends in the Highlands, because again, we've been coming to the Highlands for years, attending weddings, going to celebrations, hiking with our friends who live here, that if we stepped back far enough and we listened to that thing that I often hear, that the Highlands doesn't have a school. If we listen to that and listen to what's in our hearts, I really think that if the Highlands built a school, if the school grew out of this soil, it would probably look something very much like what Thriving Roots is trying to provide at Cedar Song. There are so many shared values when it comes to what is trying to be created there. And this temporary use permit, which I'm speaking very [snorts] much in support of, I think is an experiment worth trying.

That this work is so important. We'll hear much about that tonight. This work is so important that this possibility of giving it a chance is really worth considering any words. Sure. I'm Oak Adams. I'm Chris Adams's son, also 46 patent. Um, I just wanted to say a couple very brief words about what it means to me to have been a student at Thriving Roots for many of my formative years. And I think the impact that having a place to call home like Cedar Song could be, that is an impact that would impact many people for many generations to come. And for me, being outside at school, having mentors and teachers that care about me, that was something that really really changed my life. And I think the opportunity for that to change so many more kids' lives in the future, that's something really meaningful and something not to throw away.

Yeah. Thank you. And and that place that place could could be Cedar Song. There was a pretty exhaustive search that went into a site that could host programs of such a transformational nature and they're are few and far between. And so again, I would advocate that this temporary use permit with restrictions and considerations and all the things that go into it is definitely worth trying [snorts] because I really believe that the opportunities that my family has had in the Highlands really should continue. So I'm I'm in standing here with my son. I'm also fighting for the Highlands and the long-term protection that comes with knowing that the youth love this place, too. Thank you for considering these ideas. Thank you. Next speaker, Vana Leaport.

[snorts] Good evening, council. I'm Vana Leaport, a Highlands residence at 3320 Lacorage Place. I want to speak not about the value of nature education because I think we all agree on that, but about what a temporary use permit actually is and what makes it possible. A TUP is not a permanent approval. It's not a declaration that everything before was acceptable. It's a structured opportunity to move from uncertainty towards accountability with conditions, oversight, and a defined timeline. Communities become polarized when there's only two options. Shut it down or approve it permanently. A TUP creates a middle path. It gives neighbors, operators, and council a chance to gather real information about what works and what doesn't.

Sometimes the most responsible decision isn't certainty. It's a well-designed experiment. The Highlands OCP explicitly supports nature-based activities that foster environmental stewardship and connection. Very few people or organizations have the courage, resources, and commitment to actually attempt to meet that vision. Cedar Song's proposal, which is smallcale in the TUP, conditional and timelmited, is a genuine attempt to do exactly that. Saying yes to this TUP doesn't mean yes forever. It means we don't know everything yet, but we're willing to find out. [snorts] There's a frame, a useful framework for this kind of decision that I want to leave you with. So I'll close with this from the late philosopher John O'Donn.

May you have the grace and wisdom to act kindly, learning to distinguish between what is personal and what is not. May you act not from arrogance but out of service. When someone fails or disappoints you, may the graciousness with which you engage be their stairway to renewal and refinement. This is your opportunity now, a chance to lead with wisdom, serve the community, and give people room to do better. Thank you. Thank you, Jane Bidg. Good. [clears throat] Good evening, Mayor and Council. My name is Jane Vidgood. My husband and I have lived in the Highlands since 2016, and we are raising our two young children here because we deeply value the rural, ecological, community oriented character of this place.

I'm here tonight to express my strong support for Cedar Song's temporary use permit application. Our daughter has participated in the Thriving Roots Wilderness Program for the past two years, and the impact on her has been profound. We have watched her grow in confidence, emotional resilience, curiosity, independence, creativity, and connection to the natural world. As parents, we intentionally sought out programs that aligned with the values we hope to raise our children with: stewardship, belonging, respect for nature, community connection, and emotional well-being. What we found at Cedar Song and Thriving Roots has exceeded our expectations. But tonight, I especially want to speak as a Highlands resident and property owner for the past decade.

To me, this proposal reflects many of the very values that make the Highlands unique and special. As far as I'm aware, the Highlands has long prioritized conservation, ecological stewardship, low impact land use, and protecting opportunities for future generations to connect meaningfully with the natural environment. Exactly what Cedar Song sets out to achieve. [snorts] As a Highlands resident, I also want to acknowledge the concerns the neighbors have raised. And at the same time, I think it's important to recognize that Cedar Song appears to have listened carefully and made substantial changes in response. They clearly want to move forward in the most harmonious way possible. The shift toward temporary use permit is significant. This is not a permanent reasoning. It creates a time-limited opportunity for the community and council to evaluate how operations function in practice before any future decisions are considered.

I also appreciate the concrete steps they have outlined regarding traffic reduction, shuttle use, designated activity areas, buffer zones near neighboring properties, noise mitigation, and fire safety planning. To me, those changes demonstrate a willingness to collaborate and adapt responsibly moving forward. No proposal is ever perfect for every person and I understand that change can feel concerning in a rural community. But from my perspective as a resident, parent, and Highlands neighbor, this is now a thoughtful, low impact, community rooted initiative that belongs in the Highlands. I believe spaces like this matter deeply for children growing up today. As we all know, young people are increasingly disconnected from nature, community, and meaningful mentorship.

Programs on land like this help cultivate future adults who care about conservation, stewardship, and well-being of the land itself. I'm also hopeful that my younger son will one day have the opportunity to participate as well. It is a different feel there at Cedar Song compared to the thriving roots programs at the temporary locations. It's difficult to put into words, but Cedar Song offers something profoundly special and meaningful. It is evident that it is a place these children feel a deep connection to. It feels like home to them. They are very fortunate to have had their time there and I can only hope that they will be afforded further opportunity.

I'm a proud Highlands property owner and I feel proud to have Cedar Song in our community. [snorts] For all [clears throat] the reasons I have mentioned, I respectfully encourage council to support this temporary use permit application and allow the community the opportunity to evaluate it through this temporary and carefully structured process. Thank you for your time and consideration. Thank you. Our next speaker, Christian Dubuski. Thank you, mayor and council. Uh, thanks for this opportunity to speak. Um, I'm 4750 Talon Rich. Uh, my property connects through Mount Work to Cedar Song. Uh the district of highlands municipal m miss miss miss miss miss miss miss miss miss miss miss miss miss miss miss miss miss miss miss miss miss miss miss miss miss miss miss miss miss well-being of the community for current and future generations so I just want to highlight the future generations here I'm raising three children in the highlands here and um and I'm a professor at UIC I'm a Canada research chair in rural water sustainability and

I work mostly with first nations across the province Um, so when I think about future generations, I think about Thanks. Yeah. I think about um most of the people I teach right now don't have jobs coming up. So the world is changing. Um, unemployment is getting higher. Uh, in Europe sometimes it's 40% youth unemployment. And so I think something like Cedar Song presents an opportunity for a different kind of economics certainly less um cash positive. So the jobs that young people at UIC are going for are tech or oil it seems and that's kind of frustrating for me as a educator. Um something like Cedar Song people want to work in conservation they just don't have the training. So for me, my kids in the highlands, I think about, well, where are they going to get the training to work as good stewards? And it'll be something like Cedar Song. Uh, you know, so if that doesn't exist to me, this is a really lowrisk opportunity, the temporary use permit.

If they don't adhere to what they say, you guys can change change it later. But if they don't have an opportunity to learn good stewardship, what are they going to do? So, this this presents sort of a kind of a resiliency for the for the future of the Highlands. Um, the last thing I want to mention is is traffic and noise. Um, it seemed I looked it up. There's about 5,000 new homes in North Langford built recently and another 5,000 planned. You know, there's a lake, beautiful lake, Peace Lake. I'm there a lot with my kids 10 minutes up the road. So, I don't know. I hope there'll be a traffic study for that and noise study, but my guess is 10 years from now, most of the new traffic and noise will not be from Cedar Song. It'll be from these 5,000 new homes. Just my estimate there. Thank you very much. All right. Thank you.

Our next speaker is Sarah Gos. [clears throat and cough] [laughter] Good evening, Mayor Council. Sarah goes 320 Rance Road. Thank you for the opportunity to speak. Um, I'm speaking in opposition to the zoning bylaw to allow a temporary use permits at 119 Restaurants Road. A bylaw amendment amendment that will allow for commercial use of this property in perpetuity. The undisturbed landscape in the Highlands exists today because of the vision and decades of stewardship of Highland residents and the local and provincial governments. My mom was on the Dreams and Decisions task force in the early 90s. And I remember the brightly colored postits all over the walls reflecting the Highlands vision and values. These values run deep and wide and they're reflected in today's OCP.

The legal definition of green belt zoning in the Highlands is to protect undisturbed continuous natural ecosystems and sensitive environmental areas. The primary function is not to provide a zone for homebased businesses to expand. It is a conservation first land buffer. Granting a TUP for commercial use violates the core intent of the green belt. An active business with 40 guests plus staff and volunteers and intensive vehicle activity is fundamentally incompatible with the environmental preservation required in a green zone green belt zone. The proposed number of people and activities result will result in intensive land use. Despite the delineation of areas of use on the property described in the application, program activities will be conducted in four out of six of these areas. Buffer area and residential areas are excluded.

The nature area, which is most of the property and consists of riparian areas and woodland areas, will have an undefined passive use and low inensity nature-based activities, types of use, respectively. I'm not sure what that means in the context of 60 people on the site. It really seems like the focus of this application and indeed the people that have spoken tonight is about this school and children at school and it's small scale and it's naturebased and it just wasn't adding up for me and I was finding inconsistencies and the programs identified for the kids and the number people and activities that were being proposed. So it seems to me as though it's not explicitly stated in the submission that in fact this application involves two businesses being run off this property. So the thriving roots wilderness school that provides a program for kids and sacred weaving that offers counseling workshops and retreats all year round. I could not find any explicit reference to this to the proposed counseling services.

I feel very strongly that the goals, objectives, and policies identified in the OCP for rural land use in green belt 2 are not supported by this application. Why? It's the scale. The scale of the activities proposed are are great. The number of programs being proposed on this land is not reasonable for green belt zoning. The number of people attending these programs on the property is not reasonable for green belt zoning. I am opposed to the resoning of this property to allow for a TU and I respectfully request council to deny the resoning application for 119 Rosance Road. Thank you. Thank you. Our next speaker is Mike Faulner.

Hello. Very good. Okay. Uh I live at 112 restaurants and to me children and outdoor education is not the issue with this proposed bylaw amendment for 119. Land use and location are the issue. The realities and logistics of locating the large commercial activities as proposed by the TUP in addition to all the other businesses operating on the site do not make sense. Approving a bylaw change would have far too much impact. the environment and many people spoke of this adding up to 60 people at a time on,200 campsite nights on a sensitive site next to Peas Creek which feeds Peas Lake can't help but have a significant impact on water, soil, sewage, noise, Peas Creek, and the overall ecosystem.

Two, the business model. The 119 business model relies on daily commuting for large numbers of people and outdoor activity for large numbers of people. 119 is the wrong place for that model. Commuterdriven commercial outdoor businesses do not fit, nor does the camping component activities dawn till dusk and later in every day, including the weekends, do not fit. The traffic roster is already an overused, dangerous one-lane road. Commuter rush hour traffic morning and night is scary as hundreds of vehicles speed by the locals will not even drive at these times if they can avoid it. Councelor Gourd Baird said on Czech news heading this way on Milstream Lake Road to Rostster Road at 7:30 a.m. is hell, but we certainly agree and going the opposite direction is worse.

The Watt consulting traffic assessment presented states that up to 160 extra cars per weekday will use roster ants commuting to 119 with 80% coming from the north and 20% from the south. They counted 435 vehicles per day and almost all were speeding. So, this data says the TOP will add up to 160 cars on a base of 435 per day, adding 37% more traffic. It also says that most of this traffic will be opposite to the normal speed and commuter traffic. There's a huge safety concern and a very bad idea. The neighborhood, there [snorts] are eight families that are neighbors to 119. Collectively, we and our families have owned and lived on these properties for 313 years.

We peacefully coexist and are here for the rural lifestyle, the natural spaces, and the peace and quiet. We respect and we protect the area. We are proud Highlanders. Given our experience with the owners of 119, we do not trust them and their promises and commitments have no value. The TUP is misleading in that other businesses are operating on the site such as nature therapy, gardening, land clearing, and at the same time, numerous seminars and workshops are currently being advertised offering catering and camping options. Why would council now consider a bylaw given the previous denial that allows commercial industrial does not have to follow the OCP and would be very very difficult to enforce.

We have also learned that the nature school has been operating a local girl guide camp for most of the past year. There have been issues similar to those experienced by neighbors to 119 and the annual lease at the Girl Guide camp which comes up due this month will therefore not be renewed. [snorts] The official community plan we value the OCP and the protections of the rural lifestyle. The OCP says land activities that are deemed to adversely affect the safety, health or liability of a residential neighborhood are not acceptable. Only changes that do not significantly change or impact neighborhood character change without compromising Highlander values of privacy, peace, and tranquility, and new uses must have access through suitable country roads.

The TUP defies common sense in this location. It is simply not compatible with the OCP Highlands values, our neighborhood, and especially adding significant traffic to the already overused, dangerous onelane Rosarance Road. The neighbors to 119 and I believe all the folks on Roststerance Road and the majority of Highlanders hope and believe that the mayor and council will deny the proposed bylaw amendment tonight. Thank you. Thank you. [clears throat] Matthew Faulner. Good evening, Mayor and Council. I want to reiterate the need to protect the North Highlands. It is a very special place unlike any other. It was created with intention by generations of Highlands residents and previous councils of the District of Highlands.

It is home to hundreds of acres of provincial and regional parkland as well as other protected land such as the Calrabell Nature Sanctuary. The District of Highlands intentionally zone private land in this area as green belt and rural to provide its residents with peaceful rural living as per the OCP. Approving this bylaw amendment would open the door to commercial or industrial use on the 911 prop 91 119 property, setting a dangerous precedent for others to do the same on other private lands in the area. The integrity of the North Highlands as we know it would be forever compromised. Intensive use of the 119 property through commercial or industrial use would draw significantly on the groundwater and wear down the ecosystems. This also causes great concern for the well-being of Peace Creek, which runs through the property and of Peace Lake. Municipal infrastructure, particularly the roadway used to access 119, would physically degrade at a faster rate with a added higher volume of traffic coming and going from the property. The current TUP application would entail all of these

concerns, plus the most serious concerns for safety on our already overused roadway. The social fabric of our once well functioning neighborhood on Rostster Rance Road has developed a deep rift from the intrusive activities at 119 over the past three and a half years. The impact on our neighborhood from this TUP proposal is alarming and will only deepen the rift if put into place. The longtime residents of this area have proudly taken their turn stewarding the land. They came here and stayed because of the peaceful rural lifestyle it offered. The District of Highlands zoning and bylaws were established to provide this rural lifestyle and to protect it. Residents must be able to count on this. I ask this council to be part of carrying on the decadesl long legacy of the North Highlands. Deny this bylaw amendment and maintain the current GB2 zoning and its bylaws. Protect this unique place from development now and for the future. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker, Sheila Kennedy

It's Mayor Council and staff, can you hear Okay. And the people behind me here. Oh, yes. Because we've been having trouble. Okay. Sheila Kennedy, I've lived at Ro [clears throat] 130 Rosarance Road for nearly 60 years, and our Highlands mayors, councils, and staff have planned and preserved a very special area. I will remember the excitement when we became a municipality in 1993. 33 years ago with the ability to make our own decisions regarding the future of our area. I wholeheartedly appreciate the extent of all the thoughtful work that Highlands may councils and staff have contributed to plan, preserve and evolve to the Highlands of today. I am trusting that our present mayor and council will not allow any changes that will erode our official community plan and zoning such as the owners of 119 Rosance Road are requesting.

119 Ross Garance Road is situated on the headarters of Peace Creek that feeds into Peace Lake, a gem of natural beauty, flora, and fauna. The extent of changing of changes they are requiring would permanently endanger the lake and surrounding environment. Thank you for allowing me to express my concern. Thank you. And our next speaker, Chief Abraham Py,

thank you for Thank you for inviting me here today uh officially. Uh I just want to be here today to uh you know to speak uh from my perspective and uh as a father although I am a leader of my uh community and I applaud um the district of the highlands and the residents for their ongoing effort to push back against um commercial development. you know, I know it's been a time for you because I'm I'm uh you know, as as you hear, I'm I'm a leader in the community also in regards to commercial and uh big big development, you know. So, I applaud your efforts for that. I just want to say thank you so much and thank you for your heartfelt um thoughts and uh and your your efforts to the generational impact and great impact to the communities. It's uh very nice to see [snorts] again uh Abraham Pelky, Chief Abraham Pelky of the Sale First Nation. And again, I just want to be here today to talk about my perspective.

Uh my daughter has went to the school for the better part of six years and uh it's been such a an amazing thing for my daughter. I wish she was here to speak speak for herself, but uh wasn't able to make it. But uh you know I view this as a parent as a leader to really what uh thriving roots has done for not only myself but for my community as uh as a whole as Saint Nich is as the Saint Nish people you know we have a day called a nanaka it's the learning of the land and we were invited to um thriving roots and to our song every Friday for the kids to to uh have that land-based learning and uh it's truly amazing. It's truly amazing what it does for our children because I look at it as a modern in the modern day as a really push back and a fight towards modernization and all the things that come with it for our children. They're up against a lot, you know, in regards to technology being on

their phones, electronics, and all those other things. You know, to have a day for over at the tribal school for our kids to come and enjoy the land and uh enjoy and from our philosophies and perspectives and and the ways of learning that good stewardship and uh being there and just being a part of the land where we could express ourselves in such a good way. You know, it's um you know, I I agree that there's a there's a lot um of of you know, development. You know, it is it's really hard for us to express ourselves in our way of being as uh what we know as quill new people as indigenous and first nations people and Thriving Roots stepped up to the plate and offered that to us. And it was such an amazing thing to see the kids out there playing and very they they it's [clears throat] good for our generations to come as we heard. You know, it's good for our children to be out there to have that learning of the land, [sighs] you know, because it's it's creates a well-rounded person. And

that's that's my perspective as a father and uh for the community also to see our kids out there again through the Clay Oak Tribal School to be there to um to express themselves in our way in our culture and uh the land-based learning is the utmost amazing thing. and uh to see that. So, I'm speaking in favor and I just want to say we have a you have an opportunity. We have an opportunity to come together as people for again the future generations of our children to you know with this temporary use permit says it right within it. it's temporary and uh for us to work together and work out those issues that that we have and um yeah thank you for hearing me today. Thank you so much.

Yeah, thank you Elena. [clears throat] [cough] Good evening, Mayor and Council. Uh, thank you for the opportunity you are giving us here tonight. I am standing here on behalf of myself and my partner, Stephanie, uh, Marshall. Um, the presentation for the TUP will be presented later by Evan. I do just want to speak uh, and start by saying that I'm grateful to the council, to the district staff, and the many professionals who have contributed their expertise throughout this process. We trust that the council has reviewed the reports, studies, letters, and materials that have been submitted. Our hope tonight is that the discussion remains grounded in factual information, the professional reports, and the direct application before you. I also want to start by acknowledging a few concerns that continue to be raised. Please hear that these are not areas where we disagree with our neighbors. These are values that we share. We share your concern about road safety.

This is why we constructed a professional traffic study which seems to require a bit more clarification and I I trust that will come by Evan later. Using metrics that would even exceed our typical use, the study concluded that our activities would have a very minimal impact on existing traffic and not impede road safety. We share your concern about fire safety. We promise to follow provincial and local regulations, obtain permits for every campfire, and will continue to take fire risk extremely seriously. We have never held campfires during fire bands, and going forward, we will even increase our attention to this and work with the fire chief to ensure that any campfire practice is conducted according to his requirements.

We share your concern about water availability. In reviewing our application, Dr. Droski, who you heard from earlier, confirmed that the outdoor activities being proposed are not water intensive. The property is already zoned for agriculture and any gardens that we install will use drip irrigation, rainwater catchment, and responsible stewardship. I also want to make it clear that the application before you tonight is not the same application that came before council previously. This is a temporary use application. It has been simplified substantially and reduced to what we believe is only essential. We removed requests that were not necessary. We are not seeking new buildings. We listened carefully to the concerns that were raised and we worked with staff to bring forward a proposal that is narrower and temporary so that it can be properly assessed.

Reasonable people may disagree and that's part of any change process. But I hope that we can begin from the understanding that everyone here cares deeply about this place, wants to protect it, and wants what is best for the Highlands and for future generations. I'd like to share the story of our journey getting here. The roots was started in 2015 with eight kids in a 10acre backyard in Sanage, owned by an elderly woman named Louise. She loved children and was committed to the vision of world peace. a lofty vision. [clears throat] She grew up in a time when kids learned and explored in the forests because it was their birthright.

It was a period of time that many people here grew up in too, where most children had backyards to play in and permits were not required for kids to be together outside. Today, we find ourselves in a very different time. Today, most kids grow up without access to a yard. Going outside to play has been replaced by turning on a tablet. Today, the average child spends less than one hour per week in nature and over 50 hours per week on a screen. One hour in nature and 50 hours on a screen. These are not circumstances that any of us were faced with as children and they are having harmful effects.

Concerned by this, in 2018, I started looking for a long-term land base for the school. I looked, [clears throat] sorry, there's a lot in here that might feel emotional. I looked everywhere for a parcel that was already zoned for nature-based education. Very few existed and none of them were available. Dr. Stephanie Dr. Stephanie Marshall joined me at this time as she carried very similar values and very similar concerns. Her work has been more focused on adults connecting to nature as kids can only go as far as the adults in their lives can take them. We were heard that in order to bring kids and adults outside, we would have to take the risk of purchasing land first and then apply for aligned zoning after owning it. That's how it was done elsewhere and that there was no other way.

Long before we purchased 119, we were connecting with the Highlands District staff about the possibility of purchasing here. We chose the Highlands intentionally because of its OCP's commitment to land stewardship, education, and the protection of nature. After four years of extensive searching, we found this property for sale only 2 km from a major road and existing park access. Before making the decision to purchase it, we met with most of the immediate neighbors to introduce ourselves and share about our intended use. We were delighted to meet people who, while understandably a little cautious, ultimately welcomed us into the neighborhood. Some even warmed our hearts by offering us gifts to bring back to the children. Sorry to interrupt, but it's been five minutes now.

Has it been? Yeah. Can I request to continue the story or so? So So mayor, certainly um it's it's up to council. I would offer that um Elena is the owner of the land and um has dele while Evan is the applicant. Elena I think is I've heard she's explaining her application as um so it certainly is up to council. I would council wish to extend continue. Thank you so much. Thank you. Um, it was clear that every one of these neighbors had similar values rooted in a love and appreciation for nature. We admired how they cared for their elder Sheila and saw ourselves one day being in service to them in that way, too.

We are sad to have damaged our relationships with these people. We are very sorry for this and we are committed to making it right. When I moved here, I was brand new to owning property. I went from renting a basement suite in a squimalt to being the primary owner and resident of 54 acres with a 50-year-old house, many old structures, and at least 10 acres completely invaded by Scotch broom. I made mistakes and oversightes. Many times, our neighbors had to check in with us about sound. We were not aware how sound traveled in the area or exactly how close our drop off spot was to their homes. We made many adjustments, including rehoming our two outdoor dogs. But in the overwhelm of this learning curve, we didn't make enough changes in time, and some of the specifics were not known to us until they were revealed at the last council meeting.

I'd like to address the statements about us breaking bylaws by starting the school here early. Just months before closing the sale, we were given notice that the school's previous location was no longer going to be available. This meant that the school was going to be homeless. I knew these children needed a reliable place to be in nature and I thought that we could operate as a homebased business until further permits were granted. The urgency to keep kids outside led to a rushed resoning application which ultimately led to unhappy neighbors and the result of the last meeting. We are sorry and we are asking for a chance to correct this.

Thank you everyone for this opportunity to learn. As challenging as it's been, we are committed to being in right relationship here and honor your passion to hold us accountable. Thank you. Thank you, Marissa. Kellog, my name is Marissa Kell. I have been a resident of the Highlands for the past 10 years and we've recently expanded our family on Milstream Road. [clears throat] I'm speaking to you today regarding the mayor the May 4th meeting discussion Twinflower Park and Trail Enhancement Project. I'm expressing my concern for the phase 1 bike removal and site restoration. Upon realization of the proposed removal, I voiced my concern to the residents of the Highland District and it is very clear I'm not the only one displeased about this decision. Outdoor activities have been a pinnacle of the Highlands and has driven many young families to move here to enjoy the outdoors. Our park and nature along with the baseball field, bike park, and riding ring was the largest motivation for my husband and I to move to the Highlands. I know many other families here have chosen the Highlands for this particular reason as

well. I am a mother of a 2-year-old child and like many other ch children's thrives outdoors. I hope to see my child grow up in a community that encourages outdoor play and also supports those with less financial ability to participate in sports. Keeping the bike park, baseball diamond, and equestrian riding ring supports those who are not able to support the rising cost of youth sports. With the continued closure of activities for youth and adults, it would be a shame to destroy something that is a large part of the history in the Highlands ride in the Highlands. I am requesting that the council holds off on this decision to allow time for residents input on the project as it was intended in phase 2 to include public cons consultation. Thank you.

Thank you. The next speaker is Libby McMahon. [clears throat] Thank you, Mayor and Council, for the opportunity to speak about the reasoning application related to 119 Cross Strand Road. [snorts] I see a lot of merit in the cedar in Cedar Song's programs and in their stewardship of the land. Education which fosters a relationship building with the natural world is in my view sorely needed. I won't go further in outlining this as council has heard tonight and read many eloquent letters about the um restoration activities and the programming uh being offered for children, youth and adults at Cedar Song. At the same time, I am very aware of the significant impact on the surrounding neighbors, concerned about the increase of traffic on our road, about water usage and noise from the program participants and activities. These impacts have disrupted neighbors use and enjoyment of their properties with resulting complete lack of trust.

My concern is that if not Cedar Song, what might another owner do with the land? In my experience, large lots are challenging to maintain. They require a lot of labor and/or money to pay residential taxes or meet the requirements of farm status or managed forest. Yet at the same time the land provides um significant environmental services, watershed protection, carbon sequestering, ecosystem preservation and minimization of habitat frag fragmentation. These services benefit all of us and come at no cost to the community. Until there is a land classification that recognizes these public benefits through reduced taxes, there will always be pressure to develop the land or find a way to help offset the cost of maintaining it.

Thriving roots reflects the goals and values of the OCP and ICSP in many ways. Clearly, however, it has not melt met the social requirements of compatibility with a smart surrounding community. Having faced the denial of their resoning application, the owners are motivated to find ways to address the concerns that have been raised. This raises the issue of trust. Last fall, Wayan Nature Sanctuary was approached by about hosting Thriving Roots programmings uh programs, their weekend programs with youth and adults. As a board member in considering whether to allow the use of the sanctuary for the programs, I have to say I was wary knowing about the impacts.

Um over the last nine months I can say that all facilitators and participants have been respectful of the boundaries set in terms of areas of use and noise and in terms of fire use and there have been no complaints from the residents our our um neighboring residents. I recognize that the situation at Wayathan is not mirrored at Cedar Song. Um, however, to me it demonstrates a willingness to work with the necessary limits and to adapt programming as needed. For these reasons, I support the proposal to allow for TUP on the property at 119 restaurants. I see it as an opportunity to have si significant uh influence over how the programs and activities are provided and time to determine whether cedar programs can operate in a way that is compatible with local residents use and enjoyment of their homes and land. Thank you.

Thank you Dave Lubkin. Good evening, mayor, council, staff. Uh Dave [snorts] Lufkin with three at 3871 Duke Road to chosen. Uh I've been involved with thriving roots for approximately six years. Uh both as a participant in the adult nature program and as a volunteer with the team program. Uh I also work in the field of climate change, community resilience, and environmental protection for over 20 years. I currently work at the University of Victoria supporting research that helps communities implement solutions to protect their peoples, lands, waters, and relationships. My work is closely connected to the long-term sustainability and resilience goals that municipalities such as the Highlands are pursuing.

Increasingly, the research I am involved in also intersects with the challenges of misinformation and polarization. new and real challenges we're all facing in increasingly complex and challenging world. The differing differing [clears throat] perspectives surrounding this proposal are a reflection of how hard these these issues are, how hard they become, and how difficult is it a task for municipal councils to navigate them. In that context, I believe the revised temporary use permit proposal is a thoughtful and balanced approach, providing Cedar Song an opportunity to demonstrate its commitments while giving the district time to evaluate outcomes before making any permanent decisions. Over the years, I've watched Cedar Song pursue its vision of creating a place where youth and adults can learn nature-based skills, deepen their connection to the land, and build meaningful relationships. Throughout the journey, I've consistently witnessed dedicated dedication, humility, reflection, and a willingness to adapt in response to community feedback.

Municipalities cannot achieve their goals alone. They require partners who share the objectives of protecting land, educating people, and strengthening resilient communities. In my experience, Cedar Song is one of those partners. The questions before council are larger than any one individual or property. They concern the kind of community the they concern the kind of a community we hope to foster and lean into. Personal impacts can be mitigated. Misunderstandings can be addressed. Relationships can be repaired. These are challenges that communities are capable of working through together. On a personal note during a previous meeting, I heard someone describe how Thriving Roots had profoundly changed and in their view saved a young person's life.

That story stayed with me because I've witnessed similar impacts firsthand. My nephew Noah uh died by suicide three years ago. Uh he suffered from anxiety and depression. He participated in programs similar to those offered by Thriving Roots and attended a few thriving events with me. I saw the positive effect these experiences had on him, but he did not have access to a community like Thriving back home in Ontario. I cannot help but wonder how things might have been different if he had. I share this not to evoke sympathy, but because it speaks to the importance of creating spaces where young people can experience connection, belonging, mentorship, support, and connection to the land. I believe deeply that the work Thriving Root seeks to offer can change lives for the better. In a time when loneliness, disconnection, mental health challenges are affecting so many young people, those opportunities have immense value and can be life-changing.

It is the role of everyone in this room that has influenced or has the responsibility making decisions to facilitate those opportunities. I also heard the sentiment expressed at the last meeting, great, but not here. I understand that change can bring uncertainty and concerns about local impact. At the same time, Cedar Song has been working towards this vision for nearly eight years and has struggled to find a place where it can take root. If every community concludes that the work is valuable but should happen somewhere else, we lose we risk losing the opportunity together and we risk losing as a human race. To me, this speaks to a broader challenge facing many communities today.

We are being asked to balance individual concern with collective needs and long-term well-being. While local impacts deserve careful attention, they cannot be the only consideration. The question before council is whether those impacts can be responsfully managed while enabling something that provides meaningful value to the wider community. If the answer is yes, then I believe we have a responsibility to make spaces for initiatives that strengthen connection, learning, and resilience in our communities. Thank you for the consideration. All right. Thank you. And uh next we have Brit Mloud. Hello. Good evening. My name is Britt Mloud and I live on the West Shore. Um I'm also a forest mentor with Thriving Roots and I'm a practicum student uh with human nature counseling just about to finish my counseling degree here and I also worked at Power to Tob for the last five years. Um, I have the privilege of being on the land with the kids. I have the privilege of seeing the impacts dayto day.

And I really appreciated my time at Power to Be because I got to see the difference that having a home made for all those kids that I worked with. I worked with a lot of um amazing neurode divergent kiddos who expressed to me this is so important to be able to come back here to this place to build relationship with really like specific spots on the land. Um and I really hope that that can happen at Cedar Song. I was the community development lead at power tobe for 5 years and I worked with 30 different community groups that came to the land uh from outside of power to be and they really expressed the same sentiment. We feel safe here. We feel like we can build relationship with land.

As I'm currently a practicum student with human nature counseling as I've mentioned, I also helped to run a program called New Roots which was supported by the Highlands District and thank you for your support in that. I see a lot of interconnectivity with the work that organizations like human nature and power to be do with thriving roots as well. I think we all know that there's growing anxiety in youth. Just do a quick Google search and you'll see tons of terrible stats. I I see the youth arrive on the land and show up sometimes in really frazzled states and I see the way that their nervous systems get to sink in and feel safe on the land, especially in a place where there's home.

We really need a home base for thriving roots. and we really need a place where the kids can come back to and see the difference that they're making. Um, as a mentor, I know that, uh, in the past there have been some mistakes with like being too loud on the land, but this is something that I know as someone who wants to work with Thriving Roots, like I'm absolutely willing to to work with to find that peaceful, happy median with the neighbors because the neighbors matter and community matters and the the greater web matters. So, thank you. Thank you. And last on my list is Dave Seagull.

[clears throat] Hello Mayor, council staff. Thank you very much for taking in all this information. It's um very apparent just the magnitude of this moment here as council. A lot to deliberate, a lot to think about. So I wanted to add to the conversation from my perspective. My name is David Seagull and I'm the co-founder of a mental health organization in Victoria serving the CRD. We have children, youth, and families that utilize our programming. And a lot of our programming is trying to meet these times, these times that have been alluded to where there's a lot of uncertainty, a lot of fear and and a need more than ever to protect and conserve the natural world, which um every time I drive into the highlands, I take a nice deep breath of that this place gets it, this place understands it. So um one thing as a mental health professional is we're really attuned to feelings of safety. how are people and their home is one of the most important places. If someone comes to see us and they're feeling like their home is

threatened or they're unhoused, no therapy can happen. So, just in reading through all the letters and seeing the concerns of the neighbors, um I just want to say that I I really see that the challenges here in terms of ensuring that all all the needs are being taken into account. Um also balancing things like the OCP stewardship and the overall public good. So just again reiterating the challenge in in how to kind of move forward. So I just want to say that as a mental health professional right now in these times we need something that I like to refer to as evidence of hope. That means that when we're scanning our surroundings and we're looking for evidence of is there goodness in the world are there examples of where people are being courageous working together and doing something different than the business as usual that we can find that.

And it's my belief that Cedar Song and Thriving Roots uh have many elements of that and I'm also aware that they've made some mistakes in terms of how they've gone about communicating to the neighbors and building trust. But when we look at the core what they're doing and if we look at what our communities needing in terms of that evidence of hope, I really believe that that they're doing that. My second point um is around the importance of children having profound experiences in nature for future generations and for pro- environmental behavior. If you look at David Suzuki, Bandana, Shiva, Henry David Thorough and you ask what commonality did they have? They had profound early experiences in nature.

And so that's something that thriving rates is doing which according to my understanding really fits the values of the highlands in terms of creating a future where stewardship uh and preservation is at its core. And my final point is around um that thriving roots is not a new entity that human nature counseling's been in the community for about 15 years and we've worked really hard to collaborate and many of uh the team members that we've worked with from thriving roots have been very respectable very trustworthy and we um wouldn't be where we are without their kindness and support. So I just wanted to share that that they're they are located in in context and in place in the larger field of environmental education. And so I just wanted to share that. So I for those reasons I respectfully encourage the council to consider as a first step to build trust and to to move forward without saying no the temporary use permit as a measured approach. Thank you very much. Thank you.

I'm going to move on to item three on the agenda now, which is adoption of the minutes. Moved by council Gordon and seconded by council car roing that the minutes of the May 19th, 2026 regular council meeting be approved as presented. Discussion seeing none. I'll call question. All those in favor? Opposed? None opposed. That carries and we have a set of minutes from April 16th of the 2026 West Shore Parks and Rec Society board meeting. Second discussion none. I'll call the question. All those in favor? Opposed? None opposed? That carries. That brings us to reports of committees and commissions. Uh there are written submissions uh by myself if we have any questions, but I understand uh councelor Anderson has something to add. Councelor Anderson, we will [clears throat] get you going here.

Uh, thank you, Mayor. Just a brief um addition to my report. Uh I just wanted to mentioned that uh [clears throat] there's a a series of open houses that are coming up. Um they were just announced on Friday with respect to the Tmucks treaties uh and the status associated with those. So there are five modern treaties that are proposed for southern Vancouver Island. There are some open houses between June 6th to 13th. Um, I didn't include the link to that in my report because I didn't have it at the time, but I will ask staff to help me make that information available not just in my report, but also perhaps on the website for um, community members who might be interested in attending that. And that's all I want to add.

Thank you very much. Thank you. Any other additions to the reports this evening? All right, seeing none, we have no late items. Uh, so we go on to correspondence. 6.1 is about the uh a letter from the city of Abbottzer about the provincial sales tax expansion council moved by councelor Barrett second by councelor Stanton seeing none call the question all in favor opposed none opposed that carries and that brings us to the a letter from the office of the ombbudsman persons person quarterly report for the period covering January 1st March 31st 2026 and uh it looks like a clean bill of health there. Moved by councelor Sing, seconded by councelor Gourd Barrett. All those in favor opposed. None opposed that carries. And that brings us to the 2025 annual report of the Victoria Family Court and youth justice committee. Um councel moved by councel second by council Stanton. And we have councelor Mlan there.

Thank you, mayor. Um, so the report's probably rather self-explan self-explanatory and um it's our last uh our last year uh and um it uh our communications chair Jeff Baitman did a tremendous job pulling everything together and we really appreciate his contributions at the committee. And just if council has any questions on the annual report for Victoria Family Court youth justice committee, I'd be happy to attempt to answer them. All right. No other questions on that. Councelor and Bair, you're up right now. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I do have a question. Councelor Mlan, I understand you're the uh chair of the grants uh part of the organization and uh could you describe the grants that you are your your subcommittee granted this past year? Sure.

Yeah, sure. Thank you for the uh question and opportunity. Um they've mostly been uh well they're actually in the report. Uh you mean like this year to date? Is that what you mean? Last year. Last year. So they're in the report. I did the report over the Christmas holidays or whatever you might want to call it. I was working at the office. Um so we actually had the uh I believe the youth empowerment society. Um Victoria Youth Empowerment Society. They received a grant, well actually kind of over overlapped with last year and it was for a temporary part-time position to help with the backlog of youth that are uh waiting to get into programs uh in the greater Victoria area. Um um Victoria Youth Empowerment Society had 70 70 youth waiting on the the weight list. And so they were able to uh clear up that backlog in respect to um uh identifying the gaps in services and the services that these youth uh needed

and um and get them help in a in a timely manner. and it was so um effective for the Youth Empowerment Society that they're looking to hire a a position for that at this time. And um we also have a overlapping application from Human Nature Counseling. And um and they do a uh program at the uh I'm sorry it's fading from my mind at this time but it's at the uh uh property on Rockland their government house uh the grounds there and um so they u based on their website have a really good seems to have a have a really good roster of professional staff and so um that was a temporary uh application for just the program for use and counseling and to help them.

This past year was mainly focused on anxiety uh coping skills and and so forth. And I think we just had those two this year. Um I apologize if I'm missing anything, but it is in the report. Thank you. Yeah. All right. No further comments on the 6.3. All those in favor? Both and oppos? That carries. 64 is the request for dedicated provincial funding to support municipalities that achieve provinially mandated housing targets. Move by councelor Gord seconded by councelor Bruce. Discussion seeing none. I call question. All those in favor opposed. None opposed. That carries. On to 65. And that's the Westshore Parks American Society draft facilities master plan. And I'm going to ask Councelor Mlan.

Uh thank you, Mr. Mayor. Just wanted to briefly speak to this. Um it's maybe we should move it. Sorry. Should we move it? Yeah. Okay. Okay. Speaking to it. Um, so for people who don't know, this is the plan. Uh, I certainly haven't had time to read it thoroughly. Uh, turnaround time is uh, uh, June this Thursday, June 4th. So, a couple things I did pick up on is they've um the consultants added a uh couple of pages into the draft 2 facilities park and rec master plan and um specifically to the Highlands. And so that's page 103 is basically on demographics and page 156 uh was about uh 1560 Milstream Road which is Twinflower Park. There might be some other ones I haven't come across yet. Anyway, I just wanted to bring to council's attention that in bullet two uh the consultants have omitted a smalls size basketball court that is at Twinflower Park and um their bullet uh fourth bullet um is potentially not accurate. Uh it states

that uh may be possible to enhance the existing ball field and add another field um at Twinflower Park. And from my perspective and um historical understanding of the history, their suggestion is simply not possible and therefore perhaps should be removed. The site cannot accommodate more than two sports fields as they imply. uh it's already just a non-regulatory size ball field. Um for a reason being site and environmental constraints um they also neglected to acknowledge the repairarian areas and wetland and wildlife habitat in Twinflower Park. So I just actually just don't see the point of it sorry don't see the point of it being uh in there. Um, so I also just so I just wanted to perhaps suggest to council that we might be um interested in write writing to the Wester Park and Wreck uh society and consultants indicating that the turnaround time to respond to the second draft of the facilities master plan is is rather short. I haven't even had a chance to

look at the survey. Um I'm busy a lot of this week. We all had council meetings uh sorry a council uh agendas to read and prepare for uh tonight. And I understand you know that the society wishes to have it on the agenda for the AGM, but I I think a a few days extension wouldn't hurt. And so I just thought maybe colleagues might be interested in supporting a letter of that going to the board. There may be other municipalities that think it's it's too short of a turnaround time for for input on on on it. Councelor Barrett. Yeah. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um I do have I have read a good chunk of the report and it is lengthy and I look forward to reading it and thank you very much.

[clears throat] Um there were some areas which I was still trying to grasp. Uh and I think very much it focuses on sort some of the larger communities that have access to developing community amenity funding for certain projects. So self-funding some of the the items and I was a little bit unsure of that and I was a little bit unsure of some other things. But I'm wondering not that it's going to I think too much impact what we are dealing with uh before the June 4th and and the approval but certainly I think that it would be useful to invite perhaps Grant to in just to sort of give us a a bit of an overview. Um it might also give the community a little bit of overview and I'm just wondering if that would be a possibility or an appropriate thing to to ask on on that topic.

Okay, thumbs up. Thank you. Is that something uh we need to make a motion on? I don't think we need Okay. Did you have something to say? Yeah, I'd like to ask a question just on that suggestion from councelor Gordbear. Would Grant Brown be the appropriate person or well I just wasn't sure if it would be consultants or or someone from the society. Councelor Mh Anderson's. Thanks Mr. Mayor. Thanks for the conversation. Um it is a really largecale plan. Um certainly uh Mr. ground is pretty familiar with its content and it might might be better to answer the question based on what what council thinks they would be seeking with additional information. I strongly suspect that that Grant would be able to provide what we need and if we were able to just ask it if we're asking for an overview of what's in there and what sort of basic um structures are and what some of the conversations are around what has been added since the first

draft and what some of the key points of interest are from other uh municipalities then I think he would be quite able to do that. if he felt unerture certain, we could give him license to offer to dial in a consultant or something. But I think either way, we could just let him know what we're after and ask for him to come. They'd be more I know he'd be more than happy to do that. Yeah. Okay. Thank you for that, Mayor. Yeah. Sorry, I just wanted to add uh one other thing. Uh so as I am a longtime patron of Wisher Park and Recre, I just wanted to bring to councelor Andrew's attention that there is absolutely no information uh in the main lobby of the Wafuka Rec Center regarding uh this draft uh plan.

There's nothing on the monitors. There's no display board. There's zip. So I find that very peculiar. So I just wanted to bring that to your attention. Thank you. like maybe they can do something about it. Although, you know, Thursday's just around the corner. Okay. Thank you. So, we have that sorted out. Let's move on to 6.6, which is the local government climate action program. Excuse me, mayor. We need to vote on that. Okay. All in favor? Opposed? Not opposed. That carries. 6.6. We have the BC government climate action program funding continuation. Councelor Bar. Yeah. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I have a question for staff because I think I mean I I read the letter from Sanage and I sort of fully support what the Sanage has put forward uh because I know what the LCAP funding LG cap funding has been for and used for in the Highlands. Um, but often when the province is removing one source of funding, sometimes they've got plans to bring in another source of funding. I'm just wondering if staff has

any heads up as to if they're aware of any potential other sources of funding are coming in to replace the the loss of the LG cap. I have not heard of any additional funding coming forward in the form of any other program. I know every few years the name of the programs may change. I have not heard of a name of a new program coming out. Councelor uh Mlan. Uh thank you. Mr. Mayor had a similar u question as um you know it is sounds like it's very important funding and I'm not sure actually how much the of it the district is utilizing. Um, and so I I have heard in the past it's always good to write to the organizations that are providing the funding to let them know that it's appreciated and it's and it's needed.

[gasps] So I I ju I just wasn't um positive if this is um uh something that the district is using for f financing. Yes, we do. And if council so wishes, a letter motion to that effect would be fantastic. Yes. Well, then I will move that um uh council direct staff to um write a letter uh to the provincial government. Is it them or is this federal provincial government? and um indicating um appreciation for the program and and uh continued funding uh support for municipalities in the province of BC. Great discussion. Councelor Anne B. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Yes. Uh this has been a longgoing climate action program funding that has gone a long ways in our community over the last uh oh quite a while, maybe a decade. And uh it's considerable funding. So, I have a quick question for staff. uh what the funding was last year. Just so we have that roughly in the past couple years. We've used some of it for covert work. We've also funded the South Highlands local area plan work. Um and then this year we are

doing some summary greening work with it. [clears throat] Yes. So we do we do use it. Thank you. All right. All those in favor opposed. None opposed. That carries. That brings us to bylaws and I'm going to ask our planner to introduce reszoning application RZ126119 Ross Durant. Thank you, mayor. The zoning application RZ0126 seeks to add the property 119 Roststerance Road to that section of the zoning bylaw that lists properties that council can consider for TUPS upon application. So it's in section three. It's in the general section. There's one other property there right now. The resoning application. This resoning application does not change the permitted use or density of 119 rostance road. Proceeding with adoption of proposed bylaw 486, which would occur after a public hearing should council wish to give it first and second reading allows council to carry out the legislated process for consideration of approval of the TU temporary use permit application. The application uh for the associated temporary use permit is

described under another report also on tonight's agenda. The recommendation is that Highland zoning bylaw number 100 uh 1998 amendment number 48119 Rosarance Road bylaw 486 2026 be given first and second readings and further that a public hearing for Highland Zoning bylaw number 10098 amendment number 48 119 Rosance Road bylaw number 486 2026 be scheduled for July 6, 2026, immediately preceding the regularly scheduled council meeting. Yeah. Thank you. So, um there you have it. We have the uh the recommendation from from from staff um council council MLAN. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. So, I have some questions for staff if I may. Y um so if council were to possibly support staff's recommendation within the report um then through what mechanism would potentially council and Highland residents be able to possibly seek answers to any questions that they might have when staff's report is seeking a public hearing date of potentially July 6, 2026 where at that point council and those property owners ers who believe that their property would or might be impacted by a temporary use per permit be provided with an opportunity to pose

any questions to District of Highlands staff since as you um well know um the way District of Highlands is set up for public hearing questions cannot be directed to council and District of Highland staff uh through the mayor. So I think the question to staff was how will people ask questions about the reasonzoning application? Councelor Mlean, if [snorts] um so I thought I thought I made it kind of clear, but if um if council were possibly to support staff's recommendation tonight, um then it would potentially be the TUP would potentially be scheduled uh a public hearing as you just mentioned July 6. Therefore, how um would the mainly the public uh be able to pose questions to staff because if this were to move forward uh this evening and I I think it from my perspective it seems rather rushed um then the public's not going to have any opportunity to pose questions to staff on the temporary use application or the resoning application which it clearly indicates in your report a number of times.

So to I guess to explain a little bit more about the process. So the temporary use permit cannot be um considered for approval unless the zoning bylaw is adopted and so prior to that a public hearing has to occur. So the um temporary so should council move forward with first and second readings and call a public or schedule a public hearing the temporary use permit then needs its own notification which would be twinned with the notification for the public hearing. And so then and that's why so the temporary use permit is only on council's agenda tonight for council to tell to direct staff to issue notification for council's consideration of the temporary use permit. It is confusing. I didn't write the local government act. I pro I wouldn't have done any better. But my my point being that the the public hearing um the the they both don't occur consideration final consideration doesn't occur till July 6. So there would be time between now and July 6 for the public to ask questions.

And how would that occur? The way it always does. Well, is this going to be on is this technically going to be on an agenda again? Uh, so it it the bylaw would return to council's agenda on um July 6 for consideration um following the public hearing. Okay. But I I just think it's going to be a limited amount of turnaround time for the public to be able to ask questions before, as I said, a public hearing and you just said on July 6, but um I have uh would just like to also mention that uh I find a little confusing in the report in a number of places.

uh it indicates uh and and in the agenda cover pages as well it indicates resoning application RZ-1-26 which obviously is a different number from their 2024 resoning application. It clearly says resoning application in a number of places. Um I can give you all the page numbers if you like. So why don't we have a reasonzoning application in front of us this evening then? So I think if council looks to what the bylaw says through the mayor. So the bylaw looks to change section 310. It's the the application is so um the the paper application is so simple that every all the details of that application are included in the staff report. So there's I don't there's no need to see an actual application. their application if if you're um it's literally Yeah, it's it's it's it's I don't like the expression text amendment, but this is as close as one would get to a text amendment. It doesn't it doesn't change any uses on the property. It doesn't change the zoning on the property. It simply

allows the property owners to apply for a temporary use permit. The difference is that um so and [snorts] a temporary use permit the only difference um is that a temporary use permit now does not require a public hearing. A resoning requires a public hearing. So it's it's yeah I don't know what to say. Has that answered your question MLAN? No. So, it's I understand the process and I understand that their potential temporary use uh permit can't be approved until we have designated it um uh as a temporary use property just like we're potentially going to be doing GFL and I can only or sorry 1943 Milstream Road.

So for clarification through the mayor, 1943 Milstream Road is already in the zoning bylaw. Yes, I'm aware of that. But it appears that they have it. It appears they're not on a designated map. They are MLAN there. In fact, there is no map if I don't know. Yeah, I I don't know how to It's so simple. That's probably maybe it might be overthought, but it's a section in our zoning bylaw that's you add the property. You add the just add the prop. Anyways, um so I'm just going to add this at this time. Um, so from my perspective, so we're being asked tonight, it's in the report that we can approve or deny the resoning application, which I don't have in front of me. Now, I realize you've made some comments, but I still actually do not have a re reasoning application RZ-1-26 on the council agenda tonight. So, from my perspective, it appears that what's been laid out in the process here um by staff, and I could be wrong, but it it

appears to skip over this missing document uh resoning document, and that council doesn't have um but we're supposed to potentially deny or approve it this evening. So, you know, I just find it rather odd. And so I just wanted to express that and um I mean I have read and understand staff's report but based on the outline process for the potential consideration of a tup for this property I feel it's being rushed and and and mostly because if it becomes a public hearing as I mentioned where's the public going to put their questions to staff if it ends up being a public hearing on July 6th, but you said that we don't need because we need a public hearing for the TUP, correct? No.

Okay. So, what's the public hearing about the resoning application that we don't have? Yes. [snorts] Oh my god. Um All right. Bon Councelor Mlan, Councelor Anne B. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um I in in my mind this application is this uh I want to commend staff for putting together this this uh information. It's very clear in that this is a zoning amendment that will add the ability for the applicants to apply for a TUP in the first place. And what we're being asked for tonight is that we move first and second reading in order that there be a uh public hearing which is the proper public process where everybody can have all the information in order to come and comment. Then uh tonight was just an introduction to this and council is not being asked to approve anything tonight other than move to a public hearing. Um, I am prepared to make that motion and then we can debate it that Highland zoning bylaw number 100 1998, amendment

number 48, 1119 Rosance Road, bylaw number 486, 2026, be given first and second readings. And that a public hearing for Highland Zoning bylaw number 10098, amendment number 48, 1119 Rosarance Road, bylaw number 486, 2026, be scheduled for July 6th, 2026, immediately preceding the regularly scheduled meeting and that site visits be organized for coun for any counselors wishing one. Is there a seconder? Second discussion council. Thank you, Mr. Mayor, for the ability to motivate this. I just want to say that before I was elected 12 years ago, I spent 5 years volunteering on council task force, helping to develop the ICSP, integrate it into the OCP, and create decision-making tools. in this room.

There are people on both sides of this uh debate tonight or uh people in the audience that were also part of those processes. But long before those processes occurred, many visionary community members guided and shaped our community and some of them are in the room too. But even this stewardship of Highlands extends well beyond longtime residents to include a millennia of care by First Nations people. So when an application comes before us that so clearly embodies these guiding documents including nature-based education, ecological stewardship, communion of people with the land, indigenous knowledge and reconciliation and actual reconciliation and not just talk. I feel a genuine gratitude that this community's long work is being tested in a real land use application.

We don't know how this is going to go, but it's going to be really interesting. My personal goal is that this learning and some of it's going to be difficult cuz right now we have an us and them, but I think this process could actually bring us all closer together. It would greatly sadden me if council were to set aside those guiding documents tonight and make a decision driven by the pressures of an election year rather than by the principles of this community principles this community spent many decades articulating together. This shared love for the Highlands doesn't have to divide our community. What if we used this challenge to find a way forward together? This is where the letter and comments by uh community member Scott Richardson articulate so well what I have been feeling. My hope is that council will move forward with first and second readings to send this to a public hearing where the community can be heard under proper process with full information before them because I do realize that this agenda came out on Friday and there was a lot

of information in it and this gives us time to have that information before making a decision and it gives the community time to have the information before coming to the public hearing. Council should be making this decision based on the biology reports, the traffic study, the professional planning advice before us, not on the basis on what has been circulating on social media. And I say this with respect, but I have observed that a number of community or members have formed very strong views based on editorials and inaccurate characterizations of this proposal rather than the expert evidence. and the expert evidence was not even available to them at that time because the the Highlands agenda was published Friday.

[snorts] So this is not a reflection on those community members having these opinions. Strong emotions in the absence of all the information is a very human response, but it's the reason that council must anchor our decision in the factual information. The Highlands have been protected for generation because people loved it enough to fight for it. Changing the zoning to allow the applicant to apply for a TUP is the first step in this process. And as the staff report states, this does not mean this that the TUP will be permitted. So, I will be supporting the first and second reading tonight. Next is Councelor Anderson. Uh, thank you, Mr. Mayor. I would like to start if I could with a question to staff just to help me make sure I understand process. Um I I have the feeling there was sort of a cart horse type debate about uh how to go about bringing this information forward. Um and with respect to 7.1 which speaks to the resoning application, I think I understand its purpose, but what I'm unclear on is when and where it's best

suited for council to discuss the TU because that's not what this is. So, if we just for example um approve first and second reading tonight, but then under 8.1 choose not to uh proceed with the TUP, would what would we do with an already scheduled um public hearing through the mayor? So um so certainly the draft the bylaw would move forward to public hearing and council would have a choice then to adopt it or not. Um it it would allow for the applicants to bring forward a different temporary use permit that would then not have any reasonzoning application. Um so no public hearing. There would be notification um in a newspaper and um uh to surrounding prop mail notice to surrounding property owners. Thank you very much. I appreciate that.

I think then if I'm understanding correctly that we will perhaps have a more wholesome discussion of the TU itself at a later part of the agenda. Um I for one would not like to see this conversation stop um tonight. I think there is still work to be done to help uh all of us or at least me uh understand what can be done, what should be done. So um without necessarily committing to permanent support of a TUP. I guess permanent is the wrong word to use when we're talking about a TUP. I, you know, I I'm not necessarily saying that's where I would land, but I do want the conversation to continue and I'd be more than happy to ensure that happens by supporting first and second reading. Thank you, Councelor Bus.

Thank you. Um I I think um I think our residents have made it very clear um and not and and we're not talking about divisive in the highlands because the large majority of responses we've gotten from our own residents that have made it clear how they feel about this resoning uh this TUP um this process. Um, I I have no [clears throat] I'm I'm not going to talk about the program and its value because that's not at issue here. What is at issue is land use and when I consider land use, I consider strongly how it affects the neighborhood. Um, I I have respect for all of the people who spoke and all of the effects that this program has on people.

Um, it's a program. It's and so where to put that program is I think the issue and that the proponents here have admitted they've made large mistakes. What I have always always always said is number one when you buy property check out the zoning and the bylaws. Number two, if you if you propose to change that zoning uh and the bylaws, then talk to the neighbors. Talk to the neighbors, get their approval, um get their support. Uh clearly there is no support anywhere in the neighborhood. Not anywhere in the neighborhood. um the people who are most uh directly [clears throat] affected clearly uh are unhappy and clearly did not want this process to continue. Um and and I'm sorry it's happened this way. I'm sorry that uh there doesn't seem to be at this point a resolution and um but before applying for reszoning, before applying for a temporary use per permit, I I would say once again, get support of the neighborhood. That's that's prime consideration for me. This

is not and and I I bristle at the fact that this might be something to do with elections. This has nothing to do with elections. This is consistent with what I've said for any reasonzoning. Um this is uh we've had division of resonings. We've had hundreds of people at public hearings before uh divided 50/50. This is not that case. Um so I don't I don't see this as contentious within the highlands as as perhaps Bare Mountain I would say for example. That's all I'll say for now. Right. And the next speaker on the in the lineup is Council Gord. Oh, sorry. Okay. So, Councelor Mlan. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

Uh, I'm not going to support the um two readings. Um, I would it's I just don't even know how to word this sometimes in respect to things go much better when something doesn't appear to divide the community. And uh you don't have large turnouts when something is usually a good plan and accepted by the community. And um so I'm going to comment on a few things here. The swell environmental assessment report indicates much water flow through 119 rostance property which flows to Peas Lake via uh tributaries and Peas Creek. There's various septic areas on the site plan and ability to uh potentially accommodate 60 plus people, potential staff, uh potential uh people attending programs.

And this is beyond a Highlands homebased business regulation and various program participants. Most Highland northern properties are at a higher elevation and both of the reports of the Golder and Associates phase three the three phases of the report and the GW solutions report prepared for highlands discuss vulnerabilities in the highlands to long-term seasonal aquifer recharge areas with a higher elevation homes being particularly impacted. and they've been collecting data on this for a number of years. It's uh also in the annual reports that we receive from um it's no longer called Golder and Associates. It's WSP. Don't ask me why. The attended land uses to date seem to indicate potential excessive wellwater use for one large property that appears to have much land already cleared as fields.

Council customer, we have a point of order. What's your point of order? Yeah, hold on. I think uh I appreciate the discussion that council MLAN is bringing up, but I think that is actually uh that discussion point is actually focused on potentially the second agenda item on this property rather than the bylaw that we have in front of us. Uh I'm sorry, Councelor Gourd Beard, that's not a legitimate point of order. Yeah, you speaking his argument. Okay. I'm speaking about being opposed. Yep. And I'm giving my reason some of my reasons why. So the repairing area regulation now with the province will identify fish bearing activities. The environmental reports by the consultant only speak to the specific environmental protection areas being the SPIA as opposed to the District of Highland repairarian setbacks which is 30 m or 95 ft. From my perspective and understanding, the property owner's activities on the land would still be impacting to the established neighborhood and still be in negative manner, which really seems

those impacts cannot be mitigated. The property owners were requested by council, I believe, back in September or it might have been the other meeting regarding the uh section 57. um that the property owners um work with staff to provide the action plan they were already required to provide and a safety plan for for security for the several existing uh buildings that are to be demolished. And so I don't know if if any of that has occurred. And at I believe at the September 20 uh September 2025 council meeting, council requested that the property owners engage and work with the existing neighborhood and consider revising their resoning application.

Um I do not notice that within the proposed temporary use permit. um a wilderness school is not mentioned there now. However, it may be replaced with wording such as nature programming. And so I'm mentioning these now because I'm not going to support this so-called resoning application which I don't have in front of me and I understand the temporary use permit will be later. Okay. Thank you uh councelor Anderson. Uh thank you Mr. Mayor. So now it appears we are actually discussing the TUP whether it's overtly or covertly um because we're using a rationale that is about the substance of what's in the documents as opposed to talking about the zoning bylaw. So if that's what we're going to do and we're going to like I don't I don't actually what happens.

One of the options is that the application R022 be denied. That's one of the options. Yeah, I understand that's an option but then what happens to the discussion of the TUP? Yeah, that would end it. That was a good good question for staff. So, I'm not Maybe staff could tell us what happens that. So, so through the mayor, um yes, if you if the application is denied, if no readings are given to proposed bylaw 486, um the TU is essentially denied. But that's why the choice is given here and that's why some councils feel strong enough now to expect. Well, I'm then I just that's my point earlier was are we opening the door for that conversation which will happen later or are we having it now? If we're having it now that's fine. Um it's just a it's a like I said the cartor question. So one I just there's a whole bunch of things that I would offer in connection to the TUP but one of the things that seems to be floating around in this conversation is is this question

of whether compromise is possible. Um certainly a lot of issues have been raised around you know both sort of the the land use and the ability of the land to support this kind of initiative as well as the issues associated with the neighbors um sort of privacy noise risk those sorts of things. In my view the technical reports we have help address some of the concerns on the land use capacity. is the land capable of doing this in a way that respects the riparian and ecological values of the land that I wouldn't say that those reports close the conversation on that topic but they certainly help and they give me some comfort. So we have a whole bunch of issues associated with the neighbors um in particular the direct neighbors whose views I believe do warrant particular consideration in this conversation but they are not the only considerations in this conversation as a number of other speakers pointed out tonight. And in the letters that have been sent to us by the direct neighbors they identified a

refusal to engage with the applicants because they have a lack of trust. And I understand how that has arisen and I it appears the applicants do as well. But it's very difficult then to imagine that we're going to address those issues associated with um their most particular concerns around privacy and noise um for example or or possibly fire safety um if no conversations can take place. And so the applicants are left in a position of trying to guess what that should be and made some adjustments to their to their proposal. But it is fair to say they probably haven't done it in a way that reflects what would be interesting because so what the high interests of those particular most direct neighbors would be because they haven't had an opportunity to hear that. I don't know for sure how we fix that or if that's fixable. But we did ask for for um the applicants to go away and try and do that work. They haven't really had uh an opening in which to carry out that conversation. So that troubles me in

terms of using that as a reason to say we're not going to carry on this conversation because those um [clears throat] those conversations really haven't had a chance to take place. So there's a number of other points I think that if we're going to get into it, we could do it. But I thought if that's a rationale that's floating around, it's not one that I would feel comfortable with using to stop this discussion now. Yeah. I just want to double check with staff, make absolutely sure if if if it is rejected this evening, it's denied. It's over. It's moved. Correct. It Sorry, mayor. If the reasonzoning application is rejected if what we're voting on right now. Yes. 7.1.

Yes. If you do not move forward with resoning application, there's there Yeah. You would not be able to approve. Yeah. Um I don't know. We haven't almost everybody's kind of weighed in except for councelor Stanton. I don't know if we have a first time speaker there like to weigh in on this on the spot. [clears throat] Well, you've Yeah. Well, you've made your objections. I have not had a chance to go ahead. Thank you. So this afternoon um we got a letter from uh President Scott Richardson and I [sighs and gasps] was going to speak to the courage it takes to put politics aside and to focus on governance and I was uh was actually enlightening to hear and I don't know actually I don't know which side spoke about it but I do know that the topic with governance and the messiness of governance was mentioned this evening and to choose to to take something which when I take a look back we've talked about uh Mr. Richardson's message, his

email, which is three pages. I mean, I would love to read it. I was hoping that he would read it this evening. Um, what what it really does is it focuses on it takes it takes the linear view of the self, the private property, and recognizes the importance that is for those that are opposed. But it also takes a look at a more emergent view that takes a look at the future at trust. And it also draws upon the works of Nancy Mcmmin, who I never met, but Nancy McMen was a driver of what the future of the Highlands should look like, what she would want to see. And when I take a look at the ICSP and the OCP and the tools that we have in place, the reason that those tools are in place is to remove the politics and to give us an avenue to deal with novel things that come in front of council for consideration.

There was no idea back well actually until this letter with the discussion with Nancy Mcmmin doing nature education. I did not think that the District of Highlands had ever considered nature education as part of zoning opportunities. It certainly wasn't connected in the initial zonings that were created. What we have is we have the gifts of the Highlands. We have two members in council that I think were very proud when the ICSP and the OCPS were developed. And those IC the ICSP and the OCP give us the tools to navigate difficult decisions for novel ideas that come forward in our community. And I think to stop that discussion before we can have it is actually playing politics. And I don't and I think that what it does, it does a disservice to our community, to the future of our community, to the potential to heal our community.

And I I certainly believe that we need to give governance the opportunity to take place. We need to give the opportunity for the information we received on Friday to be digested by the broader community. And I've seen this isn't about the statistics of how many were for and how many were against. If I was doing statistics, I would be looking at what is the ration of students that are participating that are from Highlands from elsewhere. [gasps] This is not about that. This is about the conversation to allow this conversation and our tools exist because they had enough forward thinking to know that we were going to have to deal with novel ideas. they came for as they come forward. We have a novel idea.

I think that it is wrong to stop it at not allowing at stopping at this bylaw and I think that that is a political decision and not a governance decision and that concerns me because that to me is not the nature. You've kind of repeated yourself several times. Now I'm going to move on to another speaker council. Yeah, give me thank you. And I just wanted to add one one small point. Um, I am I am totally for nature-based education. In fact, I grew up uh my parents had a nature-based summer camp. Um, it it is an huge part of my life. It's not the concept here that I'm opposed to. Um, and it's not it's not the program, it's not the effect it has on people, it's the location. And and when we did the OCP or the ICSP, all of those, that doesn't mean that it's appropriate everywhere. That doesn't mean that it's appropriate wherever somebody decides they would like to have it. It means

that it should be considered. Yes. Um, but I bristle at telling Highlanders what's good for them. And that appears to be what we're saying. This is good for you and this is good for the region. Uh, so you should you should be receptive and they have been receptive. The the neighbors have said have welcomed them, have helped them out. uh they have lost trust and it is not council's responsibility to repair that trust. It is the proponents and and I have said that again and again. Get the trust of the neighbors. Get the neighbors on board. Uh I'm repeating myself. Yeah. Thank you, Councelor Stanton. I want to give you the opportunity before I bring in the other.

Thank you, mayor. Um, I I find this particularly difficult. I think I think maybe I'm not the only one that's struggling with this. Um, my neighbors aren't going to [clears throat] get back the life they had, and I don't think we can give it back to them. And I don't think that's fair, but I don't know how we would be able to do anything to mitigate some of the um issues that occurred at the beginning of the 119 um purchase. So, um, and and then we've heard a lot of wonderful things about great programs and everything like that, but we can't go back to the beginning and change that that and I and I don't like the fact that we may be leaving people who have already had to deal with so much with continuing to deal with the same thing. So um so hopefully uh and whatever happens at 119 will not make things worse, but we certainly we're not going to see uh we can't roll back the

clock to what was going on um uh around 119 uh at the beginning of this. So um um I would like to be able to say to people we can fix that, but we can't. So thank you. Next in my queue is councelor an one second time. Thank you Mr. Mayor, I think it's really important that we stick to process right now because right now we have a motion on the table about whether or not we will change the zoning on this parcel of land to even allow the conversation on a TUP and it goes to public hearing. And for anyone on council right now to express an opinion as to the outcome of that is being premature in uh saying that they have a predetermined bias of a TUP. So I mean of the uh of the uh public hearing. We as counselors have to be willing to go into a public hearing with an open mind and we are not in a position right now

to speak to the merits of the actual TUP because we're not there yet. The TUP application that is on the agenda later is only an introduction. It does not require us to discuss it and it won't even be discussed tonight to be an introduction if we don't uh approve first and second reading. So, it's really about process tonight. And I would actually suggest that a couple of counselors have already uh given some predetermined bias to a potential TUP uh the reasonzoning of the uh the public hearing portion. And I think we all need to be very careful about that from a legal perspective to maintain an open mind until the public has all the information and we have all the information to have the public hearing and then we go from there. This is not about the TUP that has been that is information on the agenda later. It's really important for process.

Without this TU it is moot and that would end it. That's why one of the options is that the application may be denied tonight. This wouldn't be on as one of the options unless it was proper part of the process. So, we can we can draw things out and draw them out and and spend money and have more more input. I think we've had a lot of input here. And um I I am I am against the uh this application personally. I'm going to say that now. I think it's it does not it's a big change of land use. It's a huge change of land use to go to green belt 2 to commercial.

It's just uh something that I think should be stopped tonight. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Uh I would caution my colleagues on providing legal advice about open minds. Um and I just wanted to comment on uh governance and uh personally I'm not playing playing politics here. I was elected to do work as a elected official as a municipal counselor and I believe that is what I'm doing. I appreciate all these folks joining us tonight and all the letters that have come in the first and second time around and people taking the time to do that. Um, but I am looking at the process. That's why I'm not supporting the resoning application.

And if it if if the process is at that point in time, then uh it is uh denied, there's no opportunity for the temporary use permit, then that's what it is. I didn't write the rules. I didn't write the process. Neither did our planner, apparently. [clears throat] So, um, let's let's shorten our preamles and perhaps look at ourselves and and and not as at others and and what they might be thinking and so forth. I believe I'm working for my con for the constituents. Okay, we'll talk about your little snicker later. Okay, thank you. Yeah, thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um, I think that coming in tonight, it was really important to have proper process and I think that that process has been broken.

And I have a question for staff with what staff has heard tonight where we have started with the initial process to talk about the bylaw to then allow us then to talk about the next steps. Uh we certainly have had uh commentary about not supporting it and therefore that's the reason for not supporting or not uh the bylaw in place. Is this something where we should go into camera to discuss any legalities or are we in safe territory? So the the local government act, how do I explain this? The Local Government Act allows local governments to first determine whether you want areas to be allowed these temporary use permits, temporary, commercial, industrial. I think over time they've had different names. And so they're a temporary use permit. And that's [clears throat] I'm not going to add in the word commercial or industrial because it it's just a temporary use that doesn't have to isn't consistent with Sony. doesn't have to be consistent with the OCP, but councils are first allowed to consider whether they even want to consider this for certain areas.

And so that's the purpose of the resoning application. And so you're you're putting your mind at a higher level to say, well, do we want to even think about maybe allowing anything other than the GB2 zoning on this property? That's your first that's your first step. Then your second step is the more detailed question of here's the temporary uses that are proposed and are is that what you want to consider? So you council is um absolutely free to deny the reasonzoning application. I but my question is the the discussion points tonight on the resoning application on the the zoning bylaw um have we overstepped our bounds by discussing the TUP and support or not support of the TU at the table? uh so through the mayor I I don't think so they are germanine to each other and it was a it was hard to know how to separate the two out because um if I just put the reasonzoning application before you it it doesn't seem that the full information is provided to you or the public

so it's it is it no thank Thank you. And so and so with that, I I will I do support obviously uh being able to discuss this with the community, but I I think that what what I would like to see is is courage. And uh and it it takes courage one for the applicant, two it takes courage for council to discuss this topic and I think it's three it takes courage to determine if the community deserves to have this further conversation. I've heard from councelor Rosing that people have made up their mind, trust is broken, therefore don't go any further. There's no point. And yet I've heard from other Highlanders whose either work at Thriving Roots or Highlanders whose kids go to Thriving Roots. I've heard from other Highlanders who live on Milstream Lake Road that support it. I've heard from uh in the letters uh the different groups likewan and power to be that have supported it. I think we have an opportunity to discuss this and what this actually means for the future of Highlands and um I think that the

courage for Scott Richardson to write this letter living in the community uh is immense and I and I appreciate that and I I I'm sorry to let that go. Well, that's politics. Councelor Councelor Ever. Yeah. I mean, it's perfectly legitimate for council to deny resoning at any point. Uh we are not necessarily needing to hold our opinions until the public hearing. In fact, in fact, u we've been advised at many times that an hourly denial is better than letting things drag on uh when when we're basically opposed to it from the beginning. Um I [snorts] I think courage comes on both sides. the the nearby residents have have um have expressed their courage and in what they believe is protecting their their peace, their their standard of life, the way they enjoy their properties. I don't think um um I don't think that courage just uh applies to one side of this argument.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um, so I just want to make it clear um that I made um some points which were some of my rationale uh for not supporting the motion. That's perfectly legitimate. People can make counselors can make uh their comments on why they support it or why they don't. So to try and imply that I'm doing something wrong here is nonsense. Okay. Thank you, Counc. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I also want to take a moment to acknowledge the remarkable volume and depth of correspondence that council has received on this matter. 73 written submissions and even a couple after. And I read them all and a lot of them are very heartbreaking.

That level of engagement reflects how much this community cares about the Highlands and what it stands for. And reading all of these letters carefully, I'm struck by a fundamental difference in where each group is coming from. Those writing in support are largely focused outward on children they may never meet, on future generations, on a land they feel responsibility towards. Many don't live on Ross Durant's road. Some don't even live in the Highlands. And yet they wrote because something in this proposal stirred a sense of care that extends beyond their own property line. Parents describe watching their children come alive in nature. Educators and researchers speak of what we're losing as a society when young people grow up disconnected from the land.

Elders speak of what we owe to the generations who come after us. and it's the generations who come after us that will continue to look after the Highlands. There is a thread through running through all of these letters that I can only describe as love. Love for the natural world, love for children, and a desire to leave something whole and living for those who follow. Those writing in opposition are also writing from a place of genuine care for their home, their community, their quality of life, their wells, their road, their peace. These are their concerns and they deserve to be taken seriously. What's notable though is that the frame is a personal one.

What that means for them, my neighborhood, and right now, and that is completely understandable. I've been there. It's human, but it is a different orientation than what this land might offer. Not just to current residents, but to the broader community and to those that have not yet arrived. What I find most telling is this. The supporters, many of whom have no personal stake in the outcome, are asking council to consider larger, something larger. The opponents, many of whom have real and legitimate grievances, grievances, are asking council to draw a boundary around what they have. Both impulses are part of what makes a community, neither is wrong. But when we consider that the Highlands what the Highlands official community plan actually says, when we read those passages about facilitating the communion of people with nature, about nature-based education for children, about stewardship and ecological restoration. We hear the voice of the community's highest aspirations for itself.

Maybe it's Nancy McMen speaking. We hear a community that has always understood that protecting the land is [clears throat] not just about keeping it quiet. It's about keeping it alive, meaningful, and connected to people who live within and around it. And I actually think we're all on the same team, a team for the love of Highlands. So, why can't we find a process forward together where everybody's needs are met and everybody can heal from what has occurred now? And we can't get there if we shut this down tonight. We can't. We are following the process. counselor counselor saying yeah I can think of a hundred projects that I could propose for my property that the the region would love would think that the province would love the feds would love um that my neighbors would just absolutely abhore. I mean that this is our job as a municipal council is to draw boundaries is to say this is appropriate here this is appropriate there and our OCP is general it doesn't say specifically what should go where it says in general we can

support these things it doesn't say it doesn't say they have to go on in this area or that area um so so that's our job is to draw boundaries. We draw boundaries around our highlands. We say we're not going to have this kind of development. We can support this. I mean, I I hear a lot about the value of this program, and I'm going to say again, this is not about a program. This is about land use and where it should take place. And and um uh I can support this program as right to the end of the earth. Um, but it has to go in the right place. It has to go where people will welcome it and uh it will be appropriate for the neighborhood.

Thank you. I think we've pretty much covered all [clears throat] the aspects of this and I I feel like I'm ready to call the question unless you have something else to add to it. One last kick at the can, Councelor Anderson. Uh, thank you, Mr. Mayor. I I I think people have settled into their views and I don't expect that this will uh change anything but I think from my perspective the idea of approaching this as a temporary um endeavor one in which we could actually see what the impacts were where we had actually test out some of the uh the mitigations or the need for more that might arise from this uh is an important part of the story. I think it was an a useful and thoughtful way to come back. Um even council had made it clear that they were welcome to come back. I think they've done something that I think is an appropriate way to try to look towards um right sizing this in a fashion that suits the applicant and the neighbors. [clears throat] And I think it's irresponsible of

council to to choose not to allow that to happen. Thanks. Well, I think council has listened closely to everybody's point of view and has come to the conclusion that as councelor Ring says this isn't the appropriate area for that social experiment that there may be areas that will consider it. There may be find areas where neighbors will consider this that we will see what happens down the path to the future. But this particular area of the Highlands, uh, it's not appropriate for it. And that's basically what we're talking about here tonight. And I think on a majority, I think I'm suspecting we'll call a vote on this now.

All in favor? Opposed? Defeated.

the entire motion was read out by um councelor and bar. Yeah. So both sections the recommendation Uh so so through the mayor um to be in conformance with our with high with with the um procedure bylaw. it may make sense to deny the temporary use application just to close the book if or or to that would that's your only option if council wishes to make that motion um that would be fine if it if it doesn't pass if that is still the effective um action. So would like a a motion.

It it could it could it could be discussed um when it comes up on the agenda.

Yeah. You introduce. Thank you, mayor. Um, at the November 3rd, 2025 council meeting, staff were directed to develop a park fee structure in conjunction with the parks management bylaw framework. Tonight's report proposes amendments to the District of Highlands fees and charges bylaw and the parks management bylaw to establish form formal permit-based fee schedule for park use. Um the proposed amendments introduce a permit b fee structure for organ organized park use such as small picnics, non-commercial gatherings, public and private events, commercial activities, filming and media use, and administrative costs and recovery charges. The review a review was undertaken of neighbor neighboring municipalities confirming that permit-based systems, insurance requirements, and scaled fees are standard practice with informal use being uncharged. The proposed fees are modest and aligned with comparable municipalities reflecting Highland scale and community focus. Overall, the amendments implement um council's direction and establish a clear, fair, scalable framework that balances both public access and operational costs.

Questions for staff? Councelor Gordon Barrett. Yeah, thank you, Mr. Mayor. I do have a question for staff. Um when I look at when I look at this uh I mean one of the questions I have especially particularly after we have not tried to allow room for other things around schools in the municipality. Um when I think when I see this uh the question I have is was what about for small what about for school groups to come and they're going to be over they're going to be over a certain size but I it looks like we're going to be charging and requiring permits for say schools to come in that are over 29 people and I'm just wondering if when would be a time to modify or amend what staff has here to ensure that school groups are left as not having to pay any fees. They come with their own insurance but not having to pay any fees.

Yes, that thank you for bringing that up. I actually didn't even think about that but I know um working in other municipalities that was um school groups would just they would get a permit through us. they don't be charged any fees and we would um just um get an insurance document from them covering them for the work that they're going to be doing or the event they might be having maybe a garbage pickup or beach cleanup or something like that. And so that amendment when would that come? Would that come at second reading to request that amendment? You could request it right now that there be no cost for um I I'll make that I'll make that amendment that there be no cost for any school groups within Highlands Parks.

Okay. So, are those um I guess we should define school groups like any school group with a teacher whether that is from a thriving roots school or from View Royal or Shoreline or wherever it it's a school group. Have a second. Yeah. All right. Discussion B. Yeah, I'll motivate it. um probably doesn't need much motivation. I appreciate that uh staff's comments, but it seems to me that um anything that we're doing to limit access to kids or students and education and connection, especially after tonight's uh discussions, uh that is the wrong way to go and this is the least we can do to ensure that we're not uh making what I would think other mistakes. Okay.

And the uh mine. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um, a couple questions through to staff. Thank you for the report. And um so I was wondering about Westark Park and wreck uh week-long usual summer roving program held at Twinflower Park. Um would they now would this impact what they've been doing? Will would this change through the chair to staff, please? Generally there would be an agreement with Westshore Parks and Recreation and we would have um insurance with them. Um I can double check that but that is another good thing to note. Um so that that would be activities that are free of charge to or lowcost um activities with a minimal charge that support the community. So that is something else um we could consider as well.

Okay. And um so on appendix A then um with the costs that you've indicated here um has cost recovery been uh factored into those amounts through the chart of staff generally there because it's an outdoor facility which has less opportunity for damage like inside inside a building many more things can go wrong. Um it's usually based on high risk or lowrisk activity or impact to the park. So a larger group would have a higher impact. Um a commercial activity would have a higher impact and also um have um be generating income from that. So we wouldn't necessarily um most municipalities don't allow people to conduct commercial activities in their park without receiving um recovery for that.

Sorry, you said and generating uh [clears throat] income or profit generating. Well, does that answer my question about cost recovery for the District of Highlands? Well, the cost recovery is mostly for the um use of the washroom building. So, outside of regular hours um that are established, we would have to call someone in to open and close the washrooms, clean the washrooms. If the event was large, um, and say there was 100 people, um, the cost to clean the washroom or make sure that it's stocked and all of that would be, um, covered. So, thank you for that. But I just also wanted to mention that uh um I felt that uh um I think it was the commercial use being or filming by the day. Some of this buy the day stuff seemed to me like it was kind of a low rental cost considering they'd be occupying the park for the whole day and uh causing interruption for other park users to be able to use it in in my opinion if they're uh doing some of

these things is I think if it's a major I don't think it's necessarily going to happen but if it's a major feature film slashTV $150 $50 for the whole day is uh it's a a heck of a bargain I would say. I don't know if you're aware that they've done filming some organizations have done filming up at the community hall under a different permit. Yeah. A number of times. I'm just pointing it out while I have the opportunity. So, um, you know, I'm I'm in I'm in support of it, but, um, I I were the amounts based on what other municipalities and the capital regional district were charging.

Yes. So, for filming, it varies. Um, some municipalities encourage it and they don't charge a lot of money because they want people to come to their community and they want to generate um, um, income for their businesses. Um, other municipalities charge more, so we don't generally get a lot. And I know we've had um some student filming that's been done here. Um, and they don't have a lot of money. They're not filming um a large production. So, it's up to council. Council can decide what the fees would be. And um this is just something that I wanted to put forward that wasn't necessarily a large amount um because we haven't had anything at all.

Okay. Thank you for uh thank you mayor and thanks to staff for bringing this forward. Um I have a comment and then a question. So I'll do the comment first which is um I'm not opposed to the to the overall shape and size of this um but I am uncomfortable with doing all of it right away. We haven't really had an opportunity for um people to comment on this. I know there was one email or I can't remember if there's a lot of letters that have come by tonight. So, I don't remember for sure the form it showed up in, but uh a community member identifying that, you know, gee, there's some thoughts I would have about how to do this. I'm a user of the park and I might I might be caught by this permit thing and I'd like to suggest some ideas for it to be different. So, I I think we might want to offer an opportunity for a little more time for people to provide that

input. So um whether we do first and second reading or something like that tonight or or provide defer in order to give time to provide some edits associated with schools and other comments um that's that's where I would land it just you know a step but let's I don't want to go all the way through the story tonight. Um, and secondly, I'm just questioning how has has this been um aligned with how the Heritage Park Society manages Caleb Pike properties and their fees and have they been consulted? Um, the [clears throat] fees at Caleb Pike would not be um included in this because they're it's a managed park and they're under an agreement. um they have the opportunity to charge whatever they need to charge to facilitate um maintenance of the park.

Okay. I appreciate the the the questions counselor and I think yes I think there should be more time allowed for more discussion on this and I would like to see it maybe uh move down the uh to move to a later date and and get these details kind of worked out. I know we're in the middle of an amendment right now. Are you wishing to speak to the amendment councelor or Yeah. No, not to the amendment. I'm happy with the amendment. Uh I will vote. Oh okay everybody be I'll vote on the amendment because that was made. All those in favor of the amendment moved none opposed that carries. If if I can continue on then on the main motion. I I totally agree with councelor Anderson that uh perhaps a little public input would would be [clears throat] uh valuable. Uh I and and I also agree with council MLAN that that perhaps the feature film TV and the commercial use I I don't understand really

uh why the film TV is is significantly less and we've had an email saying we have a number of very small small commercial uh enterprises in in Highlands that use the parks uh 300 $100 might be a lot of money for for some of the people who walk dogs or or that kind of activity. So, uh I totally agree. I I think a little input would be uh would be good for this. [snorts] All right. So, uh we can either uh defer it or we could do what you say. We could do two readings and everything. Oh, yeah. Council maintain you ask a question. Oh, sorry. Um, just wondering if I missed something here.

Did we vote on the no cost for school group? Yeah. Okay. Sorry. And I because I have that down, but I didn't put uh what had what was the outcome. [clears throat] Okay. Am I able to You got me all red here. Yep. Okay. Go ahead. You want to speak? So I will move first and second reading as as it's been amended and then I will make a comment after that. Okay. Thanks. So my comment I think we're all very much uh for lack of a better term I'm going to be quite blunt. We're probably quite shell shocked from the community with some of the other things that have been going on with the uh the bike park and with the riding ring. Um, and I think that the the discussion that just came up through councelor Anderson's question regarding the managed park uh that the the heritage park is managed under an agreement. Um, I think when we get to the topic of the

riding ring, I think we've got some discussions that can very much look like that. But I think that um with with what I see I think when we have before we have third reading I suspect we may have amendments. I guess my question to council or uh is would it be wise rather than just leave it as having this come back to us at a third reading. Um, can we initiate some community engagement by having a committee of the whole on this topic and the writing ring topic at the same time? And I and I guess I don't know my question to staff is if we wish to have a committee the whole that allows for the opportunity for the community to discuss the riding ring uh and uh and this parks management bylaw. Would that be presented now? Would that be presented at uh after second reading?

So from what I understand it doesn't really matter if we have a committee of the whole before third reading. Okay. Then um I don't that's why we'll have committee of the whole before third reading. Sounds like a plan. All right. Any further discussion on this on this on these readings? Seeing none to call the question. All those in favor opposed. None opposed. That carries. All right. Councelor on. Could I move that we uh we have committee whole? I think we need to make that motion. Correct. And I I would include the the the bike park uh the riding ring and and park use. I I think those are all related events all related to insurance that we've we're all really aware of lately particularly. So I'd move we have a committee of the whole for uh those public facilities.

I see none. All in favor? Opposed? None opposed. That carries. Uh that does bring us to eight now. And um I think staff were saying that we make a motion to deny on this. Discussion seeing none. Call the question. All those in favor opposed that carries on to the uh 8.2 two, which is Amanda could introduce this. May we just ask who seconded that 8.1 motion, please? Thank you. Thank you. Do you want to just defer this item to the committee of the whole? Yeah. Well, I gonna get second the deferral and you want to talk about it first. Well, um, can you turn? Yeah. I bring some ideas to the table before seeing as we've got uh we had Miss Kell here giving us a Sorry.

So, with uh with the riding ring and I I took took the time to go out there and take a look at it and and something struck me um the riding ring uh it's and I think we'll be moving towards the committee of the whole but some of the important things I saw with the riding ring is that first walking up there's a sign about the HCBC which is the horse council of BC. And so I had to go home and I had to take a look at it. And it struck me that it's very much like what occurs with gaining access to the mosaic timberlands for outside wildlife whether it be hunting, fishing, whatever, camping. And in that case to gain access to those lands, um, having the BC Wildlife Federation membership allows me to have blanket insurance. And that's what exactly what the Horse Council BC does.

And so it and then with the discussion tonight about the heritage park, it raises the the concept of a park management agreement. And with that, we have the ability. I know that with the parks management agreement and and the I'm not trying to steal council Anderson's thunder, but the when we deal with parks and we deal with community groups that are doing stuff inside the Highlands, uh recognizing that there's a cost for the Highlands group that we do have a grant and aids room. Can I start from the very beginning? Can I ask you to press the microphone? Thank you. Can I just kind of catch you guys up on our situation so you guys we can all be on the same page because I think um I had this big speech but I think I'm just going to jump there because it's been a really long night for all of us and I I'm sorry that we were put at the end of that. I wish we were put on the beginning of it because I understand you guys are tired and we all want to get home and have animals to feed. Um, when

I moved here to the Highlands eight years ago, I knew of the ring. I actually saw Marissa riding in it and I was like, "Wow, this is really cool." And I ended up inheriting the treasure position for this ring. At the time, I had no idea that we were unofficial club. I thought we were an official club and I would collect fees that became our rainy day fund and I was told fill out a Sierra at the time it was Capri um insurance forms send it to the district the district pays for it you guys as a volunteer club just kind of take care of this right okay so that's what I did and all of a sudden didn't hear anything back from the district saying whether they paid for the insurance or They didn't. I just assumed they got paid because I would submit the paperwork.

Done. Deal. Then in 2024, we had a staff member suggest to one of our riders that we could get the ring's footing updated. And we're like, "Oh, thank Lord. This is great." But that's a really big ask and a lot of money. But he had told us, "You get three quotes. It's he'll bring it to you guys' attention and it can go into the future budget plan." So, we did that. The quotes were $40,000 as you saw in the letter. Then the tune changed to wait. Who are you? What are you doing here? So, Marissa and I were like, okay, we need to make this formal. We need to figure out who's paying the insurance and how can we raise money to fix the footing. That's when it came to my attention that we do not have a land lease agreement.

we should probably not be on this land, which was really scary to think. Um, what do you mean? You know, like Maris and I, the whole, all of us, there's like there's 25 horses in the Highlands. There's 20 families in the Highlands that use this ring. And it's not just horse people that use the ring. Dog walkers use the ring. Um, I'm sure you saw the letter of the little kids running around in there playing. We Anyone can use the ring. They can go in there. They don't have to have a horse. So, I really want to just make sure you guys understand this isn't just for the horse community. This ring is for everybody. So, finding out we don't have the land lease agreement, we can't get proper insurance, we have our own insurance through horse counsel, I was like, how can we solve this problem so everybody can still use the ring? We can keep the ring because I know Bob McKinnon made this ring in the 90s and I really think he wanted it part of our

success, like part of the Highlands forever. So, we're asking you guys to consider granting the unofficial horse club and a lease agreement so we can formalize a society so we can then maintain the ring in a safe and usable condition. We can apply for grants. We can ask for um donors and community partners and ultimately we can upgrade the footing so the ring can continue to serve the highlands for generations to come and can stay part of Twinflower Park. Um, and like I said before, the public ring is more than a recreational space. It's a community asset that attracts new residents. I have personally spoken to people, families who who chose to move to the Highlands because of it. That includes me. It includes Marissa. I'm sure it includes the rest of you all. I I have emails of people going, I've have there's a house for sale. Can you give me details on the ring because that's why I want to move to the Highlands. So, [gasps] it also provides a place for people to

learn horsemanship skills uh for experienced riders to keep their horses healthy, fit, and for neighbors to gather both on and off horses. And if the land agreement is granted, we do would like to work with the council and the staff to then discuss how can we make this riding ring more be able to make more money so we can keep the insurance going. So we can keep the community engaged. I have this like little vision that on the spring fling people can come from Caleb Pike and come down to the to the public ring and watch horseback riding and learn about it and you know anyways we can I digress. Um so yeah I would we want to become a society so we can save the ring. That's that's really that's it.

presentation that's discreet because that's exactly what I was hoping for because I'm very much in favor of the riding ring. I'm very much in favor of keeping what makes people happy in Highlands going for those uh neighbors. And my question was uh I mean it used to be um if the with the horse running club used to be get automatically be a membership in the horse council BC and that provided the $5 million liability insurance. So that's what it is. And we the thing is now it asks who has the land like who owns the land. And I don't want to lie and say we do because we don't. And I don't want to say the Highlands does because I need you guys to sign off with it. Right. So I think it's time we make it formal and correct so we are all covered at the end of the day.

Yeah, that sounds great. And uh yeah, some more time to work with staff and get some of these details out. Also, the insurance company that the host council is called as Sierra. Sierra. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Well, thank you for that. And I think I think we're kind of on the same page here and I think staff has that message. So, thank you guys. And uh we're going to have a a committee as a whole discussing some of these issues and [clears throat] and uh if you have any questions, Cecilia, reach out. Carl Carlson knows how to ride a horse with me. [laughter] You want a pet horse? Council ML.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Thanks for sticking out and joining in us this evening and um uh bringing uh and corresponding with staff and u so u personally I I've just become aware of this recently. Um, I do know I think some residents used to go in the riding ring with their quads and yes and we have discussed that and we have thought if we're allowed to if we could put a gate a lock on the gate and have a code for the members who have paid and have proved that they're insured. Then we can keep the quad people out of there. Though lately we haven't had that problem. It's been years.

Maybe they've moved away but Um so the district to be clear the district of highlands will still o own the property and we don't know what's going to happen. This is just the start of the discussion although staff have been involved much longer than us but I mean I so uh Mr. McMin with the Highlands Park and Wreck Association, a society many years ago would have put in the the riding ring and it's part of Twinflower Park as you know. And for my perspective anyway, I I look at as a it's a rural recreation. Um, and uh, I would have thought that perhaps some people may have moved to the Highlands because of the riding ring and and then we have some a great trails as well and um, so I really appreciate you um, uh, speaking this evening and um, and the information you've shared with us. So I um, maybe you'll come somebody will come back when we have the committee the whole meeting. I don't know. But uh don't mean to really impose

on your time all that much. But uh but then staff might have some additional you know we'll get into the nittygritty stuff then you know the financial uh things like I do you guys [clears throat] have to wear helmets all the time in there? Uh yes safety first. You only have one brain? Yes. Yes. I I I worked with a Highland resident before I moved up here, and she injured herself a long time ago by getting knocked off the horse she was riding. And uh long-term uh injuries are uh are are no fun, especially when you're just out having a good time and and so forth. Anyway, thank you, Anderson.

Uh thank just a quick comment. And I want to say thank you too for sticking around and uh sharing your thoughts. But we we all speak council procedure now. We've been doing this a while. It might not be so obvious to you. So a committee the whole discussion just in case it isn't clear just gives us an opportunity to have a less formal um dialogue about this and sort of it won't come to a decision at a committee. It's just a way of having a discussion and we can hear more about interests and and what kinds of ideas might be useful um to have as part of the of the conversation and and move forward that way. So, um, thank you for for showing up tonight, but we'll have a better opportunity to discuss it at that session. Hopefully, we can, uh, count on you being there as well. Thanks. I will always be there. Trust me.

[laughter] Thank you. Also, uh, horses are traffic calming. You know, I think they're almost more effective than other means. That'll bring us to our next item and this is the 8.3 which is the Highland sister community association grant and aid and there was an oversight in the grant and aid and uh there's a recommendation council moved by councelor Ring seconded by councelor Stanton discussion anything to uh add to that counselor I just want to vote no discussion All those in favor oppose and any opposed that carries. All right. And that brings it to uh my uh hopefully uh we'll get same day consideration for this about consideration.

Second. Thank you. All those in favor? Not opposed? That carries. And this is to to continue along and get this resolution on the UBCM floor, but I'm also pursuing other avenues to um uh I'm trying to get a ministry meeting and I might be able to get a ministry zoom meeting on this. Uh, one of the uh things is I'm trying to gather data from across the country because many other jurisdictions that have the provinces that deal with the transit have the two tiers and because they realize they can't provide a level of service that's one hat doesn't fit all. And that's why our we're paying like $500,000 for transit and we get two buses, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. So, we're kind of getting short changed and so uh I'm hoping that u you'll uh support me in in the resolution.

So, with Yeah, I'll move the uh resolution. All right. All those in discussion council councelor Anderson. Uh thank you mayor. I support the resolution. Um I'm wondering though I think having had the opportunity to be on the floor for a number of UBC resolution sessions. This will go nowhere um in the short term. I it still doesn't not a bad idea to put it together and get it in there. But I'm wondering if we might also want to consider and I'm sure the the mayor will potentially bring this back along with some of whatever research you're doing. If there's something we want to do to consider how to put it in part of the AVIC loop for the coming uh post the session that follows after that where we can actually start to build some uh collegiality and and momentum around this with some of our other municipal partners.

Well, one of the things that UVM says is they have the small communities, right? That's an excellent place you can get provincial support for these trans. We won't be there in this session. So, yeah, I just I just all I'm saying is I think it's useful to consider some other um mechanisms to start to maybe build some uh momentum with this. I appreciate it. Thank you. [sighs and gasps] All right. All those in f carries. And uh that brings us to the end of the meeting. Adjournment moved by councelor Mlan, seconded by councelor Ring. All those in favor opposed. None opposed. That carries. Thanks everyone.