RAINWATER MANAGEMENT & GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE: Local government leaders endorse a "regional team approach" in the Comox Valley (November 2008)
NOTE TO READER:
In 2008, the City of Courtenay was the host municipality for the second series of pilot Vancouver Island Learning Lunch Seminars. The series promoted a consistent provincial approach to rainwater management and green infrastructure.
Regional Team Approach
At the concluding seminar in the 2008 Comox Valley Learning Lunch Seminar Series, participants explored a regional team approach that would ensure consistency in doing business differently to create liveable communities and protect stream health.
High-Level Endorsement
High-level endorsement for a ‘regional team approach’ was provided when Mayors and Chief Administrative Officers representing the four Comox Valley local governments dropped in to show their support for the 2008 Learning Lunch Seminar Series. Sandy Gray, City of Courtenay CAO, lauded the objectives of the Learning Lunch Seminar Series.
“We are thrilled by the work of CAVI. It is a tremendous initiative. The cooperation that is taking place around a consistent approach to development is very critical to all of Vancouver Island,” stated Sandy Gray.
Comox Valley Conservation Strategy
This endorsement set the scene for a presentation by Jack Minard, Executive Director of the Comox Valley Land Trust. He explained the Comox Valley Conservation Strategy and introduced a Draft Workplan for a regional team approach.
“The main purpose of the Conservation Strategy is to create a new and exciting watershed-based land use planning framework,” stated Jack Minard.
Millar/Piercy Pilot Project
The Millard/Piercy Gaps Analysis Project is being undertaken as a regional pilot. As an outcome of the Learning Lunch series, the project has evolved from a simple regulatory gaps analysis to a gaps analysis that forms watershed-based land use planning across jurisdictions…or in other word, into a Collaborative Watershed Governance exercise.”
“The current process has the Comox Valley Land Trust collaborating with regional and municipal planners, engineers and elected representatives to develop a new way of doing business in the Comox Valley,” added Derek Richmond, Manager of Engineering for the City of Courtenay.
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