Lantzville council didn’t consider the controversial urban food gardening bylaws for third reading at Thursday’s special meeting, but instead asked staff for two reports to inform residents about the consultation process and zoning issues.
Mayor Colin Haime said it became clear after the public hearing held Monday that some residents weren’t aware of the rationale for council limiting the area of commercial use of a property and some felt there was a double standard when it came to commercial use compared to residential use.
He added that council wants to give people a report that details the public consultation process over the past year including council, committee and public meetings and discussions with individual residents. He said many residents haven’t had the benefit of that information when forming their opinion on the bylaws.
“Lantzville council is sensitive to the residents needs for accurate information in this respect,” said Haime.
The report examining commercial use verses residential use will examine the differences in terms of bylaws. He said zoning bylaws in themselves are discrimatory because they limit what can and can’t be done on certain properties.
“It’s clarifying the purpose of the zoning bylaw,” said Haime.
Haime said council doesn’t have a timeline as to when the reports will be complete as the request was just presented to staff, but said when they are finished there will be a meeting to present them to the public.
The bylaws won’t be considered further until after the reports are made public.
