Now You Know How Residents Feel

Funny (not really) when government rules affect government people!

"We have a bunch of bureaucrats

 on a power trip

 telling me how to develop my property,"

Rick Fairbairn 

It appears that Regional District of North Okanagan directors are ALSO impacted by changes to rules that govern the Agricultural Land Reserve. 

Castanet news, on Monday April 22nd, wrote a story in which it was stated by Rick Fairbairn, a rancher and rural Lumby director, that "we have a bunch of bureaucrats telling me how I can develop my property."

"This is hurting family farms."

  Eric Foster

Even Vernon-Monashee MLA Eric Foster got in on it, adding:  "This is hurting family farms. It makes it difficult for families to stay together," said Foster, noting additional residences will not be allowed, and neither will detached suites and manufactured homes for family members.  And for principal residences, the total floor area must not exceed 500 square metres.


"We have a bunch of bureaucrats on a power trip telling me how to develop my property," said Rick Fairbairn, a rancher and rural Lumby director.

As the saying goes, "no sh.t, Sherlock!"
Now do you see how all you elected people impact residents...especially residents with acreages?

You should...

Ed Hanoski, councillor Par Excellence

It's obvious that Ed Hanoski doesn't live in the District of Coldstream.

And that he hasn't been poisoned by toeing the provincial line from the Agricultural Land Commission, whose unparalleled joy at Coldstream's promotion--indeed attempted forcing--of RU10, RU30 rezoning as it relates to secondary structures was almost audible.

A councillor in the district of Spallumcheen, Mr. Hanoski is unique among elected officials, certainly among those in Coldstream.
He doesn't seek to gain points with senior bureaucrats in Victoria.
He actually represents his constituents.

During his bid for councillor, he actually banged on doors and asked people what they wanted.  And it sounds as though he didn't simply bang on the doors of leftists and NIMBYists. 

Agricultural Land Reserve rules state a secondary suite is only allowed inside an existing dwelling, or by placement of a mobile/manufactured home on the property.

That regulation is, naturally, under the guise of keeping as much arable land available for farming.
But a guise--a ruse--it is.
Because it's all about conformity, all about control.  

Ed's discussions with property owners convinced him of what he already knew...that people want the ability to have aging parents (the previous generation who farmed) to be able to live on the property where they can be cared for by family members, but that each of the two generations would be able to maintain a modicum of privacy and comfort.

To his credit, the rest of Spallumcheen council unanimously supported Mr. Hanoski's view.  Their recommendation will form a resolution to this year's Southern Interior Local Government Association. 

He's made other good recommendations too.

Good luck with your proposed resolution, Mr. Hanoski.

"Just don't sit beside Maria Besso at the convention," warns Kia.

Coldstream Councillor Maria Besso has never farmed acreage but believes she knows infinitely more than those who currently do, or did farm acreage.

Maria Besso would suggest Spallumcheen farmers open a teahouse...

"Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery."  W.Churchill

RU Insane?

The first hit by Mayor Garlick and his council on a family's pocketbook--Subdivision Development and Servicing Bylaw 1535 2008--saw First, Second and Third readings on Monday, March 12th, 2012.

The second hit--this time to families' lifelong investment plans with the creation of RU10 AND RU30 land zoning--was presented at an Open House on Wednesday, March, 14th.

Glossy maps and full-colour flipchart pages adorned display stands and tables, and bureaucrats were available to answer questions from the public.  Even the mayor and councillors attended.  A bonus.

Many people, most of whom were elderly residents, walked around viewing the displays.   The odd jaw dropped here and there, but not from speech.  From what they saw was happening to their family's property investment...their homes.

Never mind that the changes "support agriculture".
Never mind that you can have chickens now.
Never mind that farm workers won't have to live in tents while picking fruit.
Never mind that you can have 3 directional signs so the public find your "Hay for Sale" gate.

In the supreme interest of supporting agriculture--a phrase used so frequently by this Mayor and Council that it might as well be emblazoned on their foreheads--they're even changing the zoning of land that isn't agricultural (not locked against subdivision within the provincial Agricultural Land Reserve).

Really?  Yup, and just because it's NEAR agriculture.

So if Mayor Garlick and his council are supporting agriculture with these changes, who is supporting the non-agricultural lands?  

Apparently nobody.

Non-agricultural landowners didn't apply for any zoning changes.
Likely many farmland owners are being forced to accept zoning changes.

The 20+ pages of the new bylaw, with 10 additional map pages and official community plan amendment, read like an insurance policy.

Council is creating RU10 and RU30 zones.  Some lands used to be able to be subdivide if they met the previous minimum of 4.94 acres.  On some lands, that's now changed to a minimum of 24.71 acres.

The non-agricultural lands that have been zoned RU2 will stay RU2...but don't breathe a big sigh of relief yet.  There are new rules on how you can/cannot impact adjacent agriculture. 
As though my BBQ would scare a goat.

Some agricultural lands were able to subdivide previously; now they cannot subdivide unless they're (RU sitting down?) 74.13 acres.  No matter that a portion or all of their lands have, since 1973, been locked in the ALR!

This Council is even encouraging consolidation where numerous farm titles exist under the same owner.

Where previous--and objectively-focussed--mayors and their councils decided that farmland would be valley-bottom and growth would occur on sidehills along the valleys, several months ago Councillor Maria Besso was quoted saying "we don't want mile-long subdivisions".  And, overhead--and obviously in reply to an unheard question from a resident--Councillor Enns was heard to say: "...we can do this, it's to our lands here."  Let me guess what may have prompted that response:  "I own--not rent--my land; how can you do this to my family?"

That may be, yes, but a previous mayor and council whom we trusted said we could have mile-long subdivisions.

It's as though Mayor Garlick and his pack are blending the Occupy Movement with the Growth Management Strategy.
They've set the blender on PUREE.
And this unrecognizable soup is the result.

Seems the Mother Ship wants to remove not only the ability--but also the temptation--to subdivide.

"The Mother Ship?" asks Kia.

RU not listening either, Kia?  Apparently people are still allowed to apply to the Mother Ship for variances.


  "Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery."  Winston Churchill, on misplaced idealism.