My name is Lorraine Gallant and I am president of the East Porpoise Bay Ratepayers Association, and on behalf of the association I want to thank Mayor and Council for this opportunity to speak.  I am addressing item 10.1 on tonight's agenda.

I am speaking this evening regarding our concern that on July 11, 2006 the Planning Committee passed a resolution to amend the East Porpoise Bay Neighbourhood Plan Policy 2.7 "Comprehensive Residential Golf Course Development Area".  In our letter of July 7, 2006 sent to Mr. Ray Parfitt, Mayor Cam Reid, and Council members we questioned why we were not consulted on this major change to our Neighbourhood Plan.  We also stated our concerns and questions in the letter:

1. we received a referral form and rezoning application for the Silverback development in March 2006.  However, when a rezoning application revision was provided to Council in June 2006 it was NOT sent to all of the parties named on the original referral.  We heard about the revision just days before the meeting and asked the District to provide us with a copy. In future we would appreciate being informed, in a timely manner, of all zoning and development correspondence relative to any developments in our area

2. we asked the District of Sechelt to ensure that our Neighbourhood Plan criteria would be met in the Silverback application

3. our Neighbourhood Plan states that the Development will include affordable housing whis is well integrated into the overall development and phasing, and is not physically isolated.  The Silverback proposal does not meet this objective

4. we asked that consideration be given to providing future transit service to our area

5. traffic on Sechelt Inlet Road is a major concern and we asked how the increased traffic would be accommodated

6. we request a public meeting to allow for questions and answers in a public forum

Art Phillips attended our semi-annual Association meeting on October 25, 2005.  He provided only a visual presentation on the development, and a 15-20 minute question and answer session followed.  The majority of the questions that were asked focused on the extra traffic expected on Sechelt Inlet Road and burning at the site.  At this time we were unaware of all the changes that would follow in the 72 page Comprehensive Development Plan that was attached to the March 8, 2006 Referral form sent from the Planning Office to our Association.

Our Neighbourhood Association encompasses approximately 100 residential homes and some business operations south of Dusty Road.  The original "Terraces" development would have added another 727 housing units and a school in a residential neighbourhood setting.  The Silverback development will add another 1600 housing units, plus a 120 room hotel/lodge in a resort setting to be occupied by part-time residents, although some could be full-time residents.  What a major impact this will have on our existing rural neighbourhood as we now know it!

To date we have not had a reply to our letter of July 7.  We are dissappointed that there has been complete disregard for our East Porpoise Bay Neighbourhood Plan by Silverback, the Planning Committee, Mayor Cam Reid and Council members.

Thank you.                                                                                                        July 19, 2006