Local News

The Official Community Plan update has had third reading and will now be sent to the Islands Trust and other external agencies for review.

As its term comes to an end, Bowen Island council is still trying to figure out ways to help manage the island's future finances.

The municipality should be setting aside another $260,000 over and above what it plans to put in reserves next year, says the municipality's chief financial officer.

The trapping of beavers at the Grafton Lake dam has come under fire from a Bowen citizen who says the municipality is doing it in an illegal manner.

What is development? According to several submissions from the public, the definition in the Official Community Update was far too encompassing.

Business hasn't been booming this year as unseasonably cool temperatures have affected the number of visitors to Bowen Island. Snug Cove retailers say that, on top of that, the sandwich boards that advertise their shops and services had to be moved.

Council is hoping it can give the Official Community Plan update third reading at its July 25 meeting but wants to give itself more time to revamp the three development permit area bylaws.

If you were to gauge public support for the updated Official Community Plan and its accompanying land use bylaws by the speakers at Saturday's public hearing, opinion would be pretty well split.

There is a new skate park at the Bowen Youth Centre and non-youth skateboard enthusiasts will be happy to note it is open to the Bowen public.

Two Bowen Island residents are petitioning the courts to either stop the Bowen Island Municipality's Official Community Plan update process or force the municipality to hold more public consultation meetings.