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#1 Caramia

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Posted 14 November 2007 - 01:28 PM

For anyone who has been following the Jordan River debacle, perhaps a ray of hope from the CRD?
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CRD to debate freeze on development on ex-forest lands
Judith Lavoie, Times Colonist
Published: Wednesday, November 14, 2007

An attempt will be made today, at the Capital Regional District board meeting, to put a crimp in plans to develop former forest lands on the southwest coast of Vancouver Island.

In January, the provincial government gave Western Forest Products permission to remove 28,283 hectares of private land from three tree farm licences on Vancouver Island, and WFP then put 2,532 hectares on the market.

The land stretches from beside the Sooke Potholes to beyond Jordan River, adjacent to the Juan de Fuca Trail, including the Jordan River townsite, campground and beach.

Vancouver developer Ender Ilkay has a tentative agreement to buy the entire area, but the sale has provoked outrage in small communities such as Otter Point and Shirley and among groups ranging from the United Steelworkers and ratepayers' associations to surfers and environmental organizations.

At today's meeting, directors will consider a parks committee recommendation for a six-month moratorium on any development applications for the "lands affected by the provincial policy."

The CRD will also look at whether staff should request a legal opinion on the moratorium and possible down-zoning of the area.

At least a dozen members of the public, including Ilkay and members of the recently formed Jordan River Steering Committee, have asked to address the board.

Erik Lund, Juan de Fuca electoral area director, is uncertain whether the whole board will deal with it or only the three-member Juan de Fuca land use committee.

There is intense public interest in the issue and it is bigger than the WFP lands, Lund said. "It's a general interest in these outlying areas. We have to look at the big picture and how it fits with the regional growth strategy."

The area has been struggling for five years to complete zoning bylaws and six separate official community plans, Lund said. "And we're not there yet."

John Horgan, Malahat-Juan de Fuca MLA, is among those who have asked to address the board.

"We have to ask why we would encourage urban sprawl where there are no services. . . especially when the government is supposed to be on a combat climate-change kick," he said.

jlavoie@tc.canwest.com

#2 Caramia

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Posted 20 November 2007 - 03:46 PM

Press Release:

VICTORIA – The decision by the province’s Auditor General to investigate the release of Tree Farm License lands around Shirley and Jordan River is a victory for everyone who has been fighting to protect the public interest, New Democrat MLA John Horgan said today.

Horgan, the NDP MLA for Malahat – Juan de Fuca, said thousands of British Columbians have been attending meetings and rallies, writing letters and signing petitions to try to convince the Campbell government to reverse their decision to release lands from Tree Farm Licenses on the west coast of Vancouver Island.

Today, Auditor General John Doyle announced he will look into the release of 28,000 hectares from TFLs controlled by Western Forest Products.

“This is a huge victory for people who use the land for work and recreation, and for everyone who fought so hard to raise awareness of this issue,” said Horgan. “The Forest Minister has repeatedly refused to re-examine his decision to release these lands, so the Auditor General’s announcement means we’ll be able to see who really benefited when the government ignored the public interest and released those lands.

“No reasonable explanation of how the public interest was served has been forthcoming from the Minister. So far it looks like the only beneficiary has been Western Forest Products, who just happen to be a big donor to the B.C. Liberal Party.”

Opposition Leader Carole James – along with the UVic Environmental Law Centre and numerous other groups and individuals – has called on the Auditor General to examine the release of lands from TFLs on Vancouver Island.

“My office has been inundated with calls and emails asking ‘what can I do to stop this deal?’” said Horgan. “By helping keep this issue in the forefront, by speaking out at meetings and in the press, every one of those individuals has helped bring about this investigation.”

Mon, November 19, 2007 - 8:16 PM

#3 gumgum

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Posted 15 April 2008 - 07:06 AM

Land rezoned to quell development, but old rules apply for WFP plan
Proposed subdivisions may not be held to 120-hectare minimum of new bylaw
Judith Lavoie, Times Colonist
Published: Tuesday, April 15, 2008


#4 gumgum

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Posted 16 April 2008 - 07:10 AM

Land-use decisions assault democracy, says UVic law clinic
Judith Lavoie, Times Colonist
Published: Wednesday, April 16, 2008


#5 gumgum

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Posted 16 April 2008 - 06:01 PM

Ida Chong's New Ears
Chong: public silence amidst controversy.
Minister ducked opposition to Jordan River development, say protesters.
By Andrew MacLeod
Published: April 16, 2008
TheTyee.ca


#6 gumgum

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Posted 18 April 2008 - 04:12 PM

CFAX:

DEVELOPER UNVEILS VISION FOR JORDAN RIVER AREA

Apr 18, 2008

THE WOULD-BE DEVELOPER OF THE FORMER WESTERN FOREST PRODUCTS TREE-FARM PROPERTY WEST OF SOOKE, SAYS HE WANTS TO RETURN JORDAN RIVER TO THE STATUS IT HAD A HUNDRED YEARS AGO.

ENDER ILKAY SAYS JORDAN RIVER WAS A THRIVING COMMUNITY OF SEVERAL THOUSAND RESIDENTS EARLY IN THE LAST CENTURY. HIS PLAN FOR THE FUTURE INCLUDES CREATION OF A TOWN-SITE THAT WOULD BE HOME TO ABOUT TEN THOUSAND RESIDENTS.

ILKAY SAYS HIS PLAN WOULD LEAVE ALMOST THREE THOUSAND ACRES OF NATURAL GREEN SPACE, AS WELL AS NEIGHBOURHOOD PARKS IN THE DEVELOPED AREA.

ILKAY'S PLAN WOULD NOT BE PERMITTED BY ZONING THAT IS CONTEMPLATED IN A REGIONAL DISTRICT BY-LAW TO BE CONSIDERED AT A SPECIAL BOARD MEETING NEXT WEEK.

THE REGION IS LOOKING AT DOWNSIZING THE ENTIRE PROPERTY TO ALLOW LOTS NO SMALLER THAN 120 HECTARES.

- FRANK STANFORD / RYAN PRICE



#7 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 18 April 2008 - 04:18 PM

What would these 10 thousand people do? I guess it could be a retirement village.

#8 Mike K.

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Posted 18 April 2008 - 04:20 PM

They'll surf.

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#9 gumgum

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Posted 18 April 2008 - 07:14 PM

The Tyee:
'Growth Is Coming': Developer Floats Plan for Jordan River
Town of 10,000 sketched for controversial forest land release.
By Andrew MacLeod
Published: April 18, 2008


#10 gumgum

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Posted 19 April 2008 - 07:31 AM

Developer unveils controversial Jordan River expansion plans
10,000 residents envisioned in 20 years for popular surfing spot on south coast
Judith Lavoie, Times Colonist
Published: Saturday, April 19, 2008


#11 gumgum

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Posted 21 April 2008 - 08:43 AM

CFAX:

SIGNATURES GATHERED TO FIGHT BYLAW

Apr 20, 2008

PEOPLE LIVING ON THE ISLAND'S SOUTHWEST CORNER SAY A CRD BYLAW TO DOWNZONE PROPERTIES FROM EAST SOOKE TO PORT RENFREW WILL HURT REGULAR FAMILIES WHO CAN'T AFFORD TO FIGHT THE BYLAW.

ABOUT 30 PEOPLE TURNED OUT IN OTTER POINT TODAY TO SIGN A PETITION TO FIGHT THE BYLAW THAT WAS BROUGHT IN AFTER THE PROVINCE REMOVED 28-THOUSAND HECTARES OF PRIVATE LAND FROM A TREE FARM LICENCE, SPARKING DEVELOPMENT FEARS.

THE PETITION WILL BE HANDED OVER TO THE CRD IN A FEW WEEKS, BUT NOT BEFORE THE BOARD MEETS THIS WEDNESDAY TO ENACT THE BYLAW.
RESIDENTS FROM EAST SOOKE TO PORT RENFREW SAY THE CRD DIDN’T CONSULT THEM AND SAY THE BOARD DIDN'T DO ALL OF THEIR 'CHECKS AND BALANCES'. THEY ALSO ARGUE THE BOARD USED THE REMOVAL OF THE TFL LANDS AS AN EXCUSE TO BRING THE BYLAW FORWARD.

THEY WILL CONTINUE TO COLLECT SIGNATURES OVER THE COMING WEEKS; THE PETITION WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR SIGNING ON FRIDAY IN SOOKE.

- NIKKI EWANYSHYN



#12 gumgum

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Posted 24 April 2008 - 06:46 AM

I'm surprised this thread isn't more popular. What's going on with this is a huge deal and could potentially suburbanize a huge portion of southern Vancouver Island forever.
Your favourite hiking spot could turn into another Walmart.

CRD bylaws to restrict development on south coast
New 120-hectare minimum aims to slow subdivision
Judith Lavoie, Times Colonist; With files from Richard Watts
Published: Thursday, April 24, 2008


#13 Caramia

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Posted 24 April 2008 - 09:15 AM

To me this issue dwarfs sewage and building height and heritage and homelessness. To me, Jordan River is a cultural hearthstone for the south island - the place where people get on a surf board for the first time, where teenagers go to camp and drink and go a little wild without it bothering downtown residents, where families introduce their children to nature... and where nature herself sprawls rich and thick with biodiversity; river, estuary, sea and forest. This is worth fighting for - and as the Bear Mountain example shows, the fight needs to happen now, not after the paperwork is signed.

#14 Mike K.

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Posted 24 April 2008 - 10:30 AM

The surfers out there are a-holes. There's an on-going turf war in JR and Sombrio and if you're not good enough or get in the way of the better surfers they'll come down on you pretty hard.

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#15 gumgum

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Posted 25 April 2008 - 09:09 AM

One official to decide fate of Jordan River
Highways Ministry officer mulling merits of controversial proposal
Judith Lavoie, Times Colonist
Published: Friday, April 25, 2008


#16 Baro

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Posted 25 April 2008 - 09:35 AM

How come situations like this almost always end up going to the developer regardless of protests, but some nice infill downtown in a parking lot is met with effective opposition and can last years?

#17 gumgum

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Posted 04 May 2008 - 06:57 AM

Residents of southwest coast fight new zoning bylaws
Changes tightened rules about subdividing lots
Judith Lavoie, Victoria Times Colonist
Published: Sunday, May 04, 2008


#18 gumgum

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Posted 04 May 2008 - 07:07 AM

Complex voting system tangles land controversy
Judith Lavoie, Times Colonist
Published: Sunday, May 04, 2008


#19 gumgum

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Posted 02 June 2008 - 06:55 AM

Hearings demanded for Jordan River plans
Forest firm's bid needs public review, green group claims
Judith Lavoie, Times Colonist
Published: Monday, June 02, 2008


#20 gumgum

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Posted 16 July 2008 - 05:59 PM

“TFL DECISION MADE WITHOUT SUFFICIENT REGARD FOR THE PUBLIC”

Jul 16, 2008

BC'S AUDITOR GENERAL SAYS THE PROVINCE'S DECISION TO ALLOW THE REMOVAL OF LAND FROM TREE FARM LICENSES ON VANCOUVER ISLAND WAS MADE WITHOUT SUFFICIENT REGARD FOR THE PUBLIC INTEREST.

AUDITOR GENERAL JOHN DOYLE SAYS NOT ONLY WAS THERE NOT ENOUGH THOUGHT GIVEN TO THE PUBLIC, BUT THE MOVE WAS BASED ON INCOMPLETE INFORMATION AND ANALYSIS.

DOYLE DOES SAY HE'S NOT CRITICIZING THE POLICY OF ALLOWING TREE FARM LICENSE HOLDERS TO TAKE THEIR LAND OUT OF TFL'S, BUT THAT, IN THIS CASE, THE PROPER STEPS WERE NOT TAKEN.

THE PROVINCE'S DECISION LAST YEAR OPENED UP 28-THOUSAND HECTARES OF LAND HELD BY WESTERN FOREST PRODUCTS TO POSSIBLE DEVELOPMENT.

SEVERAL CITIZENS’ GROUPS, FIRST NATIONS AND SOME LOCAL GOVERNMENTS HAVE SPOKEN OUT AGAINST THE MOVE.

- RYAN PRICE [CFAX]

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