Emily Carson-Apstein
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Gabriola Sounder
At the last Local Trust Committee meeting in June, Gabriola Islands Trustees, staff, and the public discussed a Development Permit Request by the development company Centre Stage Holdings who own a 110 acre property on the hill beside Lackehaven Drive, above the community hall.
The property looms over what is commonly called the Seafood District, accessed by Stokes road off South Rd. across from the Gabriola Cemetery. The property is the subject of local concern because of the steep slope and the presence of at least one Snuneymuxw burial site on the hill. Centre Stage Holdings is asking the Islands Trust for permission to remove 1900 trees on the steepest part of the property. They are planning to remove other trees as well, but only require IT approval for the tree removals that may increase landslide risk due to the steep slope. This tree removal is the first step in creating private roads throughout the property to enable subdivision into a reported 14 lots. The June Local Trust Committee (LTC) meeting did not come to a conclusion on the request to remove trees, and asked staff to make a recommendation for the next meeting in July.
The documents for the LTC’s July 31 meeting include a report from Islands Trust staff based on the research they did into the Development Permit request. The staff recommendation was to approve the Development Permit for tree removal, as Centre Stage Holdings have provided the required geo-engineering information to demonstrate that the risk of landslide from the tree removal is low, and nothing in this specific Development Permit request goes against the land-use guidelines for the island. Centre Stage Holdings has told Islands Trust staff that none of the trees scheduled for removal are “within the boundaries of the [Indigenous] archaeological sites”.
The larger subdivision request is in the hands of the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure and not within the jurisdiction of the Islands Trust, and it will be subject to compliance with the Heritage Conservation Act, which aims to protect and conserve “heritage property” in BC, including Indigenous cultural locations and items.
After long discussion at the July 31 LTC meeting, Trustees still had too many reservations about the project to approve the development permit, and it was denied.
The Trustees said they feel it is their responsibility to ensure the important Snuneymuxw sites are protected, and that community safety is prioritized over development.
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