Gambier committee advances Keats cable zoning amendment

The committee asked staff to prepare a bylaw amendment allowing telecommunications utilities in the Marine General zone and made the change its top project priority.

The Gambier Firestarter · Governance · 2023-11-21 · updated 2026-10-14 · Gambier Island

The Gambier Island Local Trust Committee asked staff to advance an amendment to Keats Land Use Bylaw No. 78 for first reading, after voting to add telecommunications utilities as a permitted use in the Marine General zone. The committee also designated the amendment its top priority for the Local Trust Area’s projects list.^[1]

The change followed discussion of a Connected Coast cable landing on Keats Island. Trustee Joe Bernardo said the Marine General zone did not refer to communications cables, while staff said the company needed to submit a rezoning application and that planning analysis was still required.^[1]

Island Planner Marlis McCargar said staff had received a Crown lease referral in February and that the company had known for 10 months that it needed to apply. She said Trust Council policy would not allow the committee to initiate an application on behalf of a private corporation; staff would assess the application and relevant policies once it was received.^[1]

The committee also requested a letter of support for Connected Coast, for the chair’s signature and forwarding to the Ministry of Forests. The minutes record that the motion carried.^[1]

On the Keats Shoreline Protection Project, the committee asked staff to return with a revised draft of the proposed bylaw amendments for further consideration. The minutes list changes discussed by trustees, including revisions to development permit exemptions, replanting provisions and dock guidelines.^[1]

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