PORT McNEILL—Due to a looming deadline for grant applications, the Regional District of Mount Waddington will move forward with plans to form a Heritage Registry despite only two of the District's electoral areas having signed on to the registry.
The RDMW board of directors, including recently elected newcomers Andrew Hory and Jan Allen, approved during its regular December meeting first and second reading of an amended Heritage Registry bylaw with the participation of Hory's Area C and Area D, which encompasses Woss and the Nimpkish Valley.
The bylaw would allow the represented areas to apply for provincial and federal recognition and funding for heritage sites and artifacts. Of most immediate interest are the historic Locomotive 113, currently parked on rails in Woss, and the old Hornsby Steam Tractor that was originally on the North Island but which now resides in Surrey pending its possible return.
The bylaw was originally requested by Area D Director Dave Rushton on behalf of the Woss Residents' Association, which is seeking help in refurbishing and preserving Loci 113. First reading of the bylaw was approved in November by directors, who were invited to add their own electoral areas or municipalities to the heritage registry.
Only Area C agreed to join in a region-wide registry, though each of the RDMW's member municipalities and rural electoral areas may choose to join at any time.
"We've got (the bylaw) sitting right now in our meeting agenda," said Port Hardy Mayor Bev Parnham, whose council was scheduled to meet later that evening. "We haven't had time to look at it as a council yet."
Administrator Greg Fletcher responded that Port Hardy could still join the registry, but it would not be eligible to submit grants applications until next year's grant period.
"The grant is due in February (2012) for the Horsby and the 113, so time is an issue," Fletcher said.
The amended bylaw is titled, "Regional District of Mount Waddington Electoral Areas C and D Heritage Conservation Service Establishment Bylaw No. 830."
If approved, it will create a heritage service managed through the Regional District and funded with an annual requisition not to exceed $4,000. It would be paid through a tax levy on properties in the participating areas.
"We've researched it and the cost is roughly one dollar per $100,000 of assessed value," said Fletcher. "So it's not onerous."
Telegraph Cove zoning change
Directors approved first and second reading to approve a change to the zoning description of an undeveloped property at Telegraph Cove.
Telegraph Cove Holdings Ltd. Land Use Bylaw Amendment 828 would amend the existing Land Use Bylaw 497 to delete "commerce", "accessory uses" and "recreation" as permitted uses in the Residential — mobil/modular homes zone and add the section "Accessory uses that are clearly incidental to a residence."
A public hearing will be held on the bylaw before third reading and a final vote. The public hearing will be held Jan. 17 at 3:45 p.m. at the RDMW office, immediately prior to the board's regular monthly meeting at 4 p.m.
Service recognized
Board chair Al Huddlestan made a recommendation, agreed to by the board, that approves citations or awards to recognize the service of outgoing Directors Norm Prince of Coal Harbour and Gail Neely of Port Alice, along with outgoing Emergency Services Coordinator Chuck Lok.
Prince is replaced by Hory, who won the Area C Director's seat in the November municipal elections. Neely, who did not stand for re-election as Mayor of Port Alice, is replaced by Allen, who ran unopposed and was acclaimed as mayor.
Lok is succeeded as the North Island's Emergency Services Coordinator by Corianne Neilson, who was approved by directors during their November meeting.