West Bench Soil Deposition Service Establishment Bylaw No. 2966, 2022

News Article

On June 1, 2022, the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen (RDOS) began consultation on the Alternate Approval Process (AAP) for the West Bench Soil Deposition Service Establishment Bylaw No. 2966, 2022. The deadline for elector response for the AAP was July 15, 2022. The results of this process were presented, and the establishment bylaw was subsequently adopted, during the July 21, 2022, Board meeting. 

The AAP is required in order to create a service to control the removal or deposition of soil in the Greater West Bench area. 

Number of eligible electors within the affected area: 1,489
Number of elector response forms needed to prevent the adoption of the bylaw: 148
Valid elector response forms received prior to the deadline: fewer than 10 

Background
In 2021, the RDOS undertook the West Bench Geotechnical Review, which involved contracting a geotechnical review and creation of a subsequent report (the Greater West Bench Geotechnical Review (2021) by Ecora Engineering & Resource Group Ltd. in association with Clarke Geoscience Ltd. The report contained various recommendations to address geotechnical hazards within the Greater West Bench area, including the introduction of a soil removal and deposition bylaw to regulate, monitor, and limit the removal and deposition of soil through permitting. 

Next Steps
RDOS Planning Services staff are in the process of drafting a bylaw to regulate soil removal and deposition activities within the newly established soil regulation service area. The draft bylaw is complex and requires additional review, and potentially additional approvals from the Provincial government, prior to completion.  Planning Services staff are planning to have the draft bylaw prepared by fall 2022 to present to the RDOS Planning & Development Committee.  

For further information, please contact Chris Garrish, RDOS Planning Manager. 

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Mark Pendergraft, Chair
Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen 

Riley Gettens, Electoral Area “F” Director
Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen 

 

Contacts: 

Chris Garrish
RDOS Planning Manager
250-490-4101 

Erick Thompson

Andrea Rendall

 

RDOS Toll Free

RDOS Communications              

RDOS Communications

 

1-877-610-3737

250-490-4211   

250-490-4147

 

 

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