A debate is heating up over a “farm home plate” bylaw proposed for the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) properties in Area C of the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD), raising questions about how best to protect farmland in the Pemberton Valley.

With a handful of spectators drawn out for the discussion, the SLRD directors tackled the proposed bylaw at Monday’s (Nov. 23) regular meeting, with fervent points voiced both for and against the bylaw alongside a call for the community to weigh in on the issue.

In its current form, the bylaw would set the maximum area for a farm home plate (FHP) with a single dwelling and its auxiliary uses — such as driveways, swimming pools and lawns — at 3,600 square metres. The bylaw would also set the maximum depth for the FHP at 60 metres from a dedicated and constructed road, or, for land-locked properties, from the property line closest to such a road.

The bylaw further states that the FHP would expand to 5,000 square metres for two dwellings, and would expand another 1,000 square metres for each dwelling built for farm workers.

According to a staff report, houses built before the adoption of the bylaw would not be affected, and renovations and new auxiliary uses would be allowed for existing homes that don’t conform to the bylaw.

A development variance permit (DVP) can be sought to work around the bylaw requirements, the report added, and applications would be reviewed by the Electoral Area C Agricultural Advisory Committee (AAC) with consideration of the agricultural impacts.

The AAC has discussed the FHP bylaw and related issues five times since March 2008, the SLRD staff report said, beginning with brainstorming around key local farming issues such as gravel on farmland and so-called estate homes being built in the middle of parcels.

The committee felt an initial version of the FHP bylaw was too restrictive, the staff report said, but after considering a lighter bylaw that attracted more support, the committee ended up recommending that the board support the “more comprehensive” version.

SLRD Chief Administrative Officer Paul Edgington said the bylaw is intended to retain the agricultural potential of local lands by making sure homes are situated so they don’t have “undue impact” on the farmable land.

The SLRD directors gave first reading to the bylaw, with Pemberton Mayor Jordan Sturdy and Squamish Mayor Greg Gardner opposed. All voted to approve an extensive plan for consultations with the community over the issue, involving elements such as letters to all ALR property owners in Area C inviting feedback and public open houses.

Sturdy told The Question that his primary concern is that it would not necessarily accomplish the stated aim of “preserving the best-quality farmland.” He said he thinks “there’s better ways of approaching the issue,” and there are many factors that need to be considered to determine ideal locations of houses on farm properties.

During the board discussion, Sturdy said he believes the bylaw creates uncertainty and some real challenges, and he raised questions about specifics such as criteria for variances.

“I believe the intent is worthwhile, but I think the approach is wrong,” he told the board.

But Whistler Mayor Ken Melamed earned applause from several audience members for his defence of the bylaw and of the oft-stated desire to protect the arable land in the valley.

“If we’re serious about the ALR, then we need to have policies that reflect (that),” Melamed said.

Electoral Area C Director Susie Gimse said the existing planning documents for the region, which were created after community consultation, protect and support agriculture, and the intent of the farm home plate bylaw is “to move us in that direction.”

With the draft bylaw attracting interest and debate in the community, she said many good questions have been raised, and she wanted to move forward with the first reading of the bylaw to seek more feedback.

“At this point I don’t know where I sit with this bylaw,” she said, adding that she knows “there’s a discussion that needs to occur.”

Gimse told The Question she has heard concerns from property owners over what the bylaw would mean for them, and she has received emails from real estate agents with concerns about the residential market values.

She said the community has spoken “loud and clear” in past planning to support agriculture and value the land base, and now she wants to understand to what extent they are prepared to back policies to strengthen those values.

Jennie Helmer, a member of the AAC, said that while the bylaw needs work, the intent was to get the board talking about protecting farmland.

She said the availability of farmland is decreasing in Pemberton and the Fraser valleys, and there are difficult trends of people buying land for speculation or putting houses in the middle of a field.

Brenda McLeod, chair of the AAC, said she is firmly opposed to the bylaw for a number of reasons, including the restrictions and complications it places on farmers, and how that might discourage people from wanting to farm.

“It restricts the very people it shouldn’t restrict,” McLeod said, referring to farmers who are committed to stewardship of the land. “It disheartens them and discourages them.”

Forces look to be unobtrusive, successful

Canadian Forces personnel at the 2010 Olympics will be doing their best to work “as unobtrusively yet successfully as possible,” a Forces officer with the Vancouver 2010 Integrated Security Unit (ISU) told the SLRD board on Monday.

Maj. Dan Thomas, public affairs planning and liaison officer with the ISU and the Forces, visited the board with four other Forces officers and one RCMP member of the ISU’s Aboriginal Liaison Unit to discuss the support being offered by Forces personnel to the RCMP during the Games.

Thomas said the Forces would want to be able to return to Sea to Sky country with “a clean reputation” in the years beyond the Olympics.

“We believe in the life after the Games as well,” he said, indicating the willingness of Forces representatives to speak to local councils and hold public events before the Olympics.

Capt. Trevor Michelson said Army personnel will likely be patrolling 24-7 around areas such as the Whistler Athletes’ Village and the Callaghan Valley cross-country ski trails.

“Most people will not see soldiers on patrol,” Michelson said, because they will be off in the woods and backcountry trails, but people are likely to see army vehicles on roads.

“For the most part, from the Army’s point of view, we want to be good neighbours, keep everybody safe, and if your folks see us, tell them to wave and we’ll wave back,” Michelson said.