Since the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) initiated its current Regional Growth Strategy (RGS) in 2004, more than $1 million has been spent on the development of the planning document, but concerns still seem to be cropping up.
With District of Squamish officials and staff continuing to work through their objections to the RGS with SLRD representatives, SLRD directors discussed at their Monday (March 23) meeting a letter from Chief Leonard Andrew of the Lil'wat Nation and Mount Currie Band that says the RGS "fails to address the core issues that the Lil'wat face today, and furthermore it undermines the core aspect of Aboriginal title."
Andrew's March 5 letter notes that the SLRD overlaps with Lil'wat traditional territory, so the RGS will affect the aboriginal title and rights of the Lil'wat Nation.
Andrew stated they fear it would limit use of land within Lil'wat traditional territory to areas that won't benefit the band, and would put restrictions on the territory "at a time when our rights are beginning to be recognized and when we have only started to reclaim what we have never surrendered."
In the letter, he asks that the SLRD use the RGS as a starting point for consultation and deliberation between their governments, instead of adopting it.
Susie Gimse, director of Electoral Area C, told the board she was "a bit surprised" to see the letter since the Lil'wat Nation worked with Area C and the Village of Pemberton on a sub-regional plan for the area that partly informed the RGS.
"It's discouraging," said Gimse. "And $1 million, let's not forget that."
In response to Andrew's letter, SLRD directors voted to ask the provincial and federal governments to work with the SLRD and the Lil'wat Nation.
Meanwhile, some of Squamish's issues - including the question of autonomy over municipal Official Community Plans under the RGS - are giving pause to some. Pemberton Mayor Jordan Sturdy told the board Squamish Mayor Greg Gardner's discussions of Squamish's concerns have "cast some shadow in my mind as well."
"Squamish didn't take it lightly, this decision to oppose the Regional Growth Strategy," Gardner told the board.
SLRD and Squamish staff will continue to work through the objections, though Minister of Community Development Kevin Krueger has said he would like to see all discussions concluded between the two parties concluded by the end of March, and a non-binding dispute resolution process entered by May 1 if agreements are not reached.
Area D OCP up for review
The board voted to endorse the terms of reference for the review of the Electoral Area D Official Community Plan (OCP), opening the door to discuss the document adopted in 1994. The review will address "the land use and development directions for all sub-areas," as well as broad and community-specific issues, according to a staff report.
"It's time to go back, have a look at the whole thing," Area D Director John Turner said.
Sub-area plans for the Upper Squamish area and the unzoned Crown lands of Area D, the report said. Issues surrounding the Callaghan Valley, the Upper Cheakamus and Ring Creek will be tackled in the latter review, the report added.
The community planner will seek to consult residents and affected organizations, the report said, with the first round of public meetings planned for mid-June.
