Oct Board meetings goings on 2011

The Columbia Shuswap Regional District Board directed staff to do more investigation on the Discussion Paper which offers a new approach to building regulation. There is reluctance in some rural areas to participate in the existing building regulation service, Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Charles Hamilton suggested there is an opportunity to introduce a limited building regulation function to promote overall compliance with existing development requirements. This new approach involves ‘Plan Checking’ proposed developments. Plan checking is a process in which building plans are reviewed, prior to the beginning of construction, to ensure compliance with key building and land use requirements. This would include BC Building Code regulations, siteing, setbacks, lot coverage and height. The CAO made clear the Discussion Paper, was not to counter arguments of those opposed to building inspection, but to address the pressing issue of non-compliance with land use regulations. In the six rural areas there have been a total of 179 infractions since 2009. These include 23 development permit infractions, 124 in zoning and another 22 in various categories. Under this new approach, the CAO said 51 per cent of the infractions would have re-solved and another 16 per cent “possibly” could have been resolved. It is possible that area “F” (North Shuswap) could use this system instead of the present building inspection that is presently in the area. The issue will go to an Electoral Area Directors Committee to discuss further and then back to the Board for deliberation.