At last Monday’s (June 19) Qualicum Beach council meeting, council directed staff to send the proposed changes to the outdoor burning bylaw to residents’ associations and community groups for feedback.
The proposed changes to the bylaw first came to council at a committee of the whole meeting on May 11.
At the meeting, Qualicum Beach Fire Department chief Darryl Kohse said the changes to the bylaw would include: allowing only agricultural burns and garden refuse fires on Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) properties; removing fires from estate properties; implementing online permit applications for garden refuse fires and agricultural fires for stricter enforcement; and removing all reference to beach fires since the provincial government has an all-out ban on beach fires along the Qualicum Beach coastline.
Also at the June 19 meeting:
• Coun. Neil Horner brought forward a notice of motion to direct staff to update the Town of Qualicum Beach Property Maintenance and Weed Control bylaw to include the identification of noxious weeds targeted for eradication. The list includes, but is not limited to, Scotch broom, giant hogweed and Japanese knotweed. The motion passed unanimously.
• Council also scheduled a public hearing on Monday, July 17 at 7 p.m. for a development at 174 and 180 W. First Avenue. The proposal is a 15-unit multi-residential development that would include commercial space.
• The Town of Qualicum Beach will be issuing its Quality of Life survey by the end of the next week.
At Monday’s (June 19) meeting, CAO Daniel Sailland said the surveys will be printed this weekend and issued by the end of next week. At that time, the town’s website will have more updated information and direction online for residents filling out the survey.
There will be an online and a print version of the survey that people will be able to fill out. The survey could take close to 45 minutes.
— NEWS Staff
