Residents of Furry Creek and Britannia Beach want to incorporate with Porteau Cove to create the new corridor municipality of Howe Sound East. But the Regional Growth Strategy (RGS) dispute within the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) is delaying their efforts.
"At the moment we have no local governance, no bylaws the only thing we have in furry creek is a building scheme put in by the developer," said Furry Creek Community Association (FCCA) Bill Avery.
"Stuff like barking dogs you can't do a damn thing about."
Area residents have asked their SLRD elected representative, John Turner, to send a letter to the provincial government on their behalf, asking them to complete an incorporation study.
"The study is only to get us going and see what the possibilities are," said Avery. "We might realize after the study that we can't do it."
The province's free incorporation study would determine the economic feasibility of forming a municipality based on available tax base.
Furry Creek residents created the FCCA to channel complaints through one group toward the SLRD. They and Britannia Beach residents have for several years tried to get such a study done.
"I think it's a long time coming, merging it all together," said six-year Britannia Beach resident Linda O'Keefe.
The current barrier between these communities and their feasibility study is Squamish's dispute with a portion of the RGS, according to the SLRD.
"Until we get resolved on this other issue with the regional growth strategy is concerned, they're not going to be moving forward at the province," said Turner.
Turner said he thinks the dispute will be resolved in the near future and then he can send the study request to the province.
If the incorporation takes place, the new municipality will have to hire staff and elect a mayor and council to represent them. According to the community charter, every community in B.C. needs at least four city councillors so the study would also address whether there is sufficient community interest to run for council.
"All of us do have to understand how much it would cost if we incorporated and we would have to decide how to manage those costs," said Turner.
"Roads are one issue, policing is another issue and those tend to be the biggest but we do have to realize we would require municipal staff to move forward."
Municipalities also have to purchase their own liability insurance.
As a municipality, they would have the power to create their own bylaws such as land use bylaws, sign bylaws, noise control bylaws and dog control bylaws.
Presently, these communities pay a rural tax to the SLRD and in addition pay for services such a garbage pick-up, police and sewer from nearby municipalities.
"It's not likely that there will be additional funds required because we already do it for ourselves anyway through the SLRD, it would be re-aligning budget items," said Turner.
The proposed name, Howe Sound East, is already commonplace in both communities because of the certified volunteer fire department, Howe Sound East Fire Protection Association, in Britannia Beach.
"I don't think either community wants to lose their name or identity so if we do come together, we would each maintain our town name as well," said Turner. "We would have Howe Sound East as our overall name.
"Take Britannia for example, it's over 115 years old or so and they won't be wanting to get rid of their name."
Ten-year Britannia Beach resident Justin Lamarche said he liked Britiannia the way it was but thinks the incorporation would bring even more clean up and tourists to the area, which is a good thing.
"It used to be one of those towns where you could pretty much run around with your head cut off and nobody would care," he said, "but it's starting to shape up.
"I run my own business in Britiannia so I hear a lot from tourists popping through that they've never even stopped here before because it was so grungy looking."
He said that after painting the buildings and doing some renovations it looks like an attractive place.
"Somewhere you'd want to stop, get something to eat and have a look at the view."
