Breaking News!
March 2, 2008
Nanaimo City Council is determined to build a resort in the middle of our community - and they don't seem to care what we think. Worse, they want 100 MORE acres of land moved from Area A to City jurisdiction so they can do what they want. The City has rammed a motion through the RDN and is asking Hon. Ida Chong, Community Services Minister to agree to it.
The land in question is zoned 20 acre minimum - a far cry from the urban development planned for it. Area Director Joe Burnett moved a motion at the RDN to oppose this land grab - but was outvoted by a regional council overloaded with City votes. THIS LAND IS KEY TO THE CITY BUILDING A PRIVATE, INSULAR RESORT, COMPLETE WITH HIGH DENSITY HOUSING AND TIME SHARES, ON LANDS PRESENTLY ZONED 5 OR 20 ACRE MINIMUM. WE MUST STOP THIS LAND GRAB.
There are two huge problems with this annexation proposal:
1) We, the people whose community will be changed forever, oppose it. Director Joe Burnett, our representative, opposes it. Our MLA Len Krog opposes it.
We have no voice and no vote on a development that will be made possible if this land grab goes ahead. Should the City Councilors who have no stake in our community and obviously don't care whether they destroy its rural character get their way in this land grab? Or should Hon. Chong say "NO" and let us decide our future?
2) This land grab, and the resort it will make posssible, facilitate urban sprawl right out to Cedar By the Sea.
We all signed on to a Regional Growth Strategy designed to protect rural lands from urban sprawl. If Nanaimo City Council gets its way with Cable Bay, we might as well tear the RGS, the Official Community Plan, and the zoning bylaws up. They will mean nothing. And we'll be back to the ridiculous developer-led growth that we all acknowledge is unsustainable in the RGS.
Economically unsustainable growth means higher taxes for the people who live in Nanaimo!
Write Hon Ida Chong at CS.minister@gov.bc.ca with a copy to stay-informed@sos-nanaimo.org and let her know what you think.
September 8 2007
Come tell City Council that destroying rare species is NOT o.k. - and that they MUST respect our Growth Strategy & keep Cable Bay lands rural.
When: September 10, 2007 at 7:00 pm
Where: Regional District Offices on Hammond Bay Road near Woodgrove
What: Two presentations will be made to council. Bring signs that make your views known.
 This rare Garry Oak tree has been destroyed by the two Calgary developers who want to build time shares, hotels, and condos on land we've designated "rural" Do you think it's o.k. for Nanaimo City Council to ignore the community's wishes and our Regional Growth Strategy so they can do this?
Five rare Garry Oaks destroyed: Cable Bay trail shortened
City Council has given two Calgary developers permission to cut down 5 rare Garry Oaks and 4 Arbutus Trees. (see photo above)
The Garry Oak meadow is being torn apart by heavy equipment and local citizens can no longer walk the circle route on Cable Bay trail. In fact, it is being shortened by over half a kilometer to accommodate the profit-making scheme of the Calgary two.
Worse, the developers are planning to put a chain-link fence around what's left of the meadow once they're finished creating their "investment opportunity." So much for the Regional Growth Strategy plan for protecting sensitive environmental areas and "contiguous green spaces."
Let's make sure City Council knows our Regional Growth Strategy, our environment, and recreation opportunities matter more than two men's scheme for making themselves money.
There will be two presentations to City Council September 10. Come to the RDN offices (where Council meets) at 7 pm to support keeping Cable Bay rural and to prevent further environmental destruction.
August 2007
The loss of Cable Bay lands begins ...
To download a pdf copy of this map, click on the map to the left.
You'll need Adobe Reader to view the file.
View or print our pamphlet:  or the fact sheet:
Cable Bay trail will be 200 metres shorter in just a few weeks.
The two developers from Calgary are forging ahead, pushing for the absolute maximum number of lots by Dodd Narrows, a provincially protected Environmentally Sensitive Area. Just for starters, they are moving the parking lot for Cable Bay trail and shortening the trail by some 200 meters.
Rare Garry Oak meadow to be behind chain link fence.
The greenspace of Cable Bay is about to be fragmented. To "protect" the rare Garry Oak meadow, the developer will build a chain link fence around it. So much for the Regional Growth Strategy's goal of "contiguous green spaces" to protect natural habitat and wildlife.
Absolute maximum number of houses to be built .
While this first phase of the development conforms to City of Nanaimo zoning, it is not what local area residents have made clear they want. For years, Cedar & Yellowpoing residents have fought to maintain the rural character of their community.
Land identified as rural residential that falls under the Regional District is zoned minimum 20 acres. This land, inappropriately and arbitrarily taken out of the RDN by the province in the 1980s to allow for an industrial park at Duke Point within the City, is physically part of the Cedar Yellowpoint community.
The city zoned the land minimum 5 acre lots and allowed two houses to be built on each lot. It's legal - but that doesn't mean it is o.k.. For example, will the developer have to prove there is adequate water for double the usual density?
Environmentally sensitive areas threatened.
What about environmental and community impact, even of this part of the mega-proposal? Dodd Narrows is a provincially designated Environmentally Sensitive Area. We all know Garry Oak meadows are extremely rare - previous developers have paved most of them.
What will fragmenting and fencing a Garry Oak meadow do to the meadow, the plants, and wildlife? What will the increased human impact do to Dodd Narrows?
The environmental reviews done by the developer are weak - and not very accurate.
Gutting of the FLR makes the mega-development possible.
The Cable Bay Lands were within the Forest Land Reserve. That Reserve was intended to stop forest companies from "logging and flogging" property after years of getting the second biggest available land tax break. Recently the F.L.R. was gutted making it possible for these lands to be developed without consultation and without penalty.
Calgary developers gets what they want. Local area people lose.
Two self-interested developers from Calgary will get what they want on this first part of the 6000 person development they are planning. Local people and communities lose. We lose some of our trail and greenspace.
Where is Area A Representative, Joe Burnett?
Joe Burnett is our Regional Area Representative. It is his job to fight for the Regional Growth Strategy that we all put together a few years ago. It is also his job to ensure our area has a say in developments that affect us more than any other.
Joe needs to:
- demand the protection of the Cable Bay trail
- insist that our Regional Growth Strategy is respected including
- the protection of the rural nature of our community
- no urban sprawl into rural resource lands
- ensuring contiguous green space to protect wildlife and plants
- respect the zoning in our RGS of 20/5 acres minimum
- demand public hearings in our area as well as in Nanaimo.
- insist that developers do NOT drive our Regional Growth Strategy - that kind of development is the problem the RGS is intended to stop.
- work with community members to find density-swapping solutions that will make it easy for developers to add presently allowed density AND ensure Cable Bay trail and surrounding green space is protected
- ask the City of Nanaimo to return the Cable Bay lands to Area A of the RDN where they belong.
Call Joe at 722-2656 or email him at quailland@shaw.ca or corpsrv@rdn.bc.ca to let him know your views!
Please also write or call all of the other RDN directors, Plan Nanaimo Advisory Group, and every Nanaimo Councilor.
Nanaimo Councilors will decide the future of our community so be sure they know we want Cable Bay lands to stay green and rural. The developers are working hard to get the City to vote their way. Nanaimo voters need to ensure they don't.
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