Pot zoning Council nixes medical marijuana operations on industrial land. Page B1 Children’s advocate Raffi keeps kids’ best interests at heart. Page B7 Driveway Sumptuous Infiniti luxury sedan challenges the old order. Page 3
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VOL. 25, NO. 83
City gets $17M to go to water treatment plant
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GAS TAX fund transferred to local projects. By KarL yu THe NewS bULLeTiN
CHRIS BUSH/THe NewS BUlleTIN
Preparing for takeoff
Guests at the launch party for Kenmore Air’s Nanaimo to Seattle service meet with air crew and company officials on Nanaimo Airport’s flight apron where the air carrier displayed two of its aircraft Tuesday afternoon. Kenmore Air will start its twice daily flight schedule in March. For the full story, please see page 6.
Draft bylaw allows agriculture as home-based business By Tamara Cunningham THe NewS bULLeTiN
New rules will make it legal for Lantzville residents to profit from urban gardens. The District of Lantzville has drafted zoning bylaw changes that would make market gardening a legitimate home-based business. The new rules won’t be made public until a draft bylaw lands in front of council for debate this January, but the district’s chief administrative officer says it will include allowing the
commercial production of crops like fruits, vegetables and trees. A December staff report on policy options also reveals that the document could include restrictions preventing people from leaving compost piles uncovered during the rainy season, using noise-scaring devices and storing equipment outside. A clear definition around uncomposted manure – the No. 1 concern in the district’s longrunning urban agriculture debate – is also expected. Lantzville Mayor Jack de
Jong said he is encouraged by the work done by staff members and looks forward to seeing market gardening on the books. “After more than three years, now [we could] finally end up with an urban agricultural bylaw that will be acceptable to the community,” he said. “Our planner did a really good job on involving the community and looking at all points of view.” The urban agricultural bylaw was revived in May, after Lantzville officials agreed to consider
allowing horticulture as a home-based business but the community has been grappling with the issue of urban farming since 2010. The issue was triggered when the municipality and Compassion Farm went head-to-head over an illegal commercial food operation. Under the current zoning bylaw people are not allowed to sell what they grow on residential lots. The draft bylaw is expected to be presented to council for a first reading Jan. 27.
The City of Nanaimo will receive $16.6 million in gas tax money which will aid in providing residents with clean drinking water. Part of a $23 million federal Gas Tax Fund transfer announced by the federal government and other levels of government Wednesday, the city will use the money for the water treatment plant which began construction last spring in the South Forks area. While Nanaimo mayor John Ruttan was pleased with the announcement, he said there is still a shortfall for construction of the $71 million facility. The province switching back from the harmonized sales tax to the provincial sales tax system was said to account for $1 million in overruns on the project.
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“This is going to help us offset the cost,” Ruttan said. “It’s matched by an equal amount from the Province of B.C. as well but it’s still leaving us with a shortfall approaching $50 million and we’re going to cover that by user fees for water as well as some of the reserves.” The mayor said the treatment plant is a massive undertaking but in the long run, would provide a high quality of water. “Future generations are going to be able to also take advantage of this investment,” he said. The water treatment plant will provide clean drinking water to residents of Nanaimo, Snuneymuxw First Nation and southwest parts of Extension. The city is also working to provide clean water to the District of Lantzville. The gas tax transfer will also go towards seven other infras t r u c t u re - re l a t e d p ro j e c t s i n t h e Regional District of Nanaimo.
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