RDN taking steps to obtain ownership of Green Wharf
Derek Kilbourn
derek@soundernews.com
Monday, March 1 2010
At its latest regular meeting in Nanaimo, the Regional District Board has directed staff to move forward with the application to take on the ownership of Green’s Landing, commonly known as Green Wharf.
Should the application be successful, Gabriolans will likely be asked at some point in the next fiscal year to decide on paying an additional $4.10 per $100,000 on taxes to cover the cost of ownership.
Carol Mason, Chief Administrative Officer for the RDN, explained, “In order for the RDN to consider looking after it, we would need to acquire the water lot that the wharf is located on.
“In addition we would need to review our authority to operate a wharf service.”
Carol noted the RDN already has a bylaw in place to operate the emergency wharf on Gabriola, at a minimal cost, but that Green Wharf would be considerably more expensive to operate.
That bylaw would need to be amended to allow the RDN to take on the Green Wharf.
Two steps are recommended by staff.
1. Negotiating with the province to see if the RDN can buy the wharf.
2. Bring back a bylaw amendment to the existing bylaw that looks at what it might cost to operate the wharf.
Giselle Rudischer, Director, Electoral Area B, motioned, “That staff be directed to make an application to the BC Assets and Lands Corporation for transfer of ownership of waterlot 272 to the RDN for the purpose of operating Green’s Landing Whaft and negotiate with Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) for the transfer of Green’s Landing Wharf to the RDN.”
Her second motion requested a report be brought back to the Board for consideration to amend the Descanso Bay Wharf Service Bylaw No. 1357 to include Green’s Landing Wharf and increase the tax requisition to cover the increased cost of operating and maintaining the additional wharf.
Members of the Board asked about the road used to access the wharf, and whether that will be easily accessed, as technically the road currently crosses over private land.
In his report, Dennis Trudeau, General Manager of Transit and Solid Waste Services, says, “The upland owner has recently contacted staff at the RDN and indicated that they do not support the location of the wharf and the use of their land to access the facility. If the Province continues to make access requirements as a condition of their approval, the process for the RDN to gain control of the Wharf will need to include a negotiation to settle this issue with the landowner.”
Carol answered that, “This will be part of the negotiation and will need to be dealt with in the process of taking this on.”
Gisele said, “I just want to point out that this wharf is really important because it is the wharf that Mudge and DeCourcey islanders use when they have an emergency. I also want to point out, the reason Gabriolans should be interested in taking this on is because when BC Ferries repairs the dock on Gabriola, this is the dock used while it is being repaired.”
She adds, “ Mudge islanders pay the same amount of taxes as people on Gabriola. They are in Area B, yet they have no library, no services, no building inspection, no park, no services whatsoever from their tax dollars so I hope Gabriolans will be willing to pay this.”
While the average cost of operating the dock for the past six years has averaged around $23,000, a survey done of the facility in 2008 by PWGSC indicated there will need to be ongoing major repairs.
The report indicates new floats and a new gangway will be needed soon and that repairs to the major structural components in the next 5 to 10 years could cost from $75,000 to $125,000.
To cover the regular operation costs and to create a reserve to cover the major repair expenses, the RDN staff estimate that between $40,000 and $50,000 a year would be needed. This would be in addition to the $5,360 that is currently collected from Area B taxes to pay for the Descanso Bay Emergency Wharf.
Dennis’ report states that since the tax increase is significant, there will need to be a process to obtain the assent of the electors in Area B.
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