Sustainable Development

We work to protect the environment in Halfmoon Bay by engaging with the community, developers, the Sunshine Coast Regional District, and government at all levels, as well as other environmental groups in the region.

In 1998 a property consortium along Kitchin Creek, threatened to pipe sewage from 170 proposed new build houses directly into Halfmoon Bay.

This, our first campaign, resulted in involvement from Environment Canada and the undertaking of detailed coliform sampling. In 1999, with over 140 members, we held our “Detect the Doo-doo Festival”. More than 80 volunteers participated in collecting water samples which were analyzed by scientists from Environment Canada.

This resulted in the developer reforming their plans in order to protect the waterways and marine environment of Halfmoon Bay.

Our efforts to protect waterways and marine water were supported by many community members, Gordon Wilson (MLA), Gordon Campbell (MLA), and included assistance by Jian Guo (Pollution Prevention Officer of the Ministry of Environment, Lands, Parks), David Walker (Senior Project Technologist, Shellfish Programs, Environment Canada) and the SCRD.

In July 2003 the SCRD passed a bylaw “to enforce standards of wastewater effluent quality higher than the Provincial standards and the banning of future ocean outfalls” (Report from Laura Princic, Water Systems Technician, SCRD).

Development Planning

The Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) is a regional government and responsible for planning and development in co-operation with the Province of BC, and the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority. Municipalities such as Gibsons and Sechelt have different responsibilities and jurisdictions than regional districts.

Official Community Plan, Zoning Bylaws, Liquid Waste Management

Land use and building planning is primarily governed by the SCRD using a number of documents, the Official Community Plan, the Zoning Bylaw and the Liquid Wastewater Management Plan:

The 2013 Halfmoon Bay Official Community Plan (OCP) was created with community input and a public consultation process, it guides SCRD decision making on land use, buildings, water and sewer service, road development, parks and use of Crown land. The OCP specifically designates the land use (residential, industrial etc.), and regulates subdivision of lots in Halfmoon Bay.
Zoning Bylaw No. 310 establishes the zoning and subdivision districts, and regulates the use of land and buildings in Halfmoon Bay (Electoral Areas B). The Zoning bylaws are intended to reflect and enforce the Official Community Plan.
The Halfmoon Bay Liquid Waste Management Plan (LWMP), adopted in 2002, provides the OCP with the long range strategy and approach to manage liquid waste reduction, treatment, utilization and disposal. Created as a result of a multi-year, multi-agency study it provides a sustainable approach to liquid waste management. Up until that time the SCRD lacked a cohesive public health, environmental and strategic plan for liquid waste management in Halfmoon Bay with it’s rocky soils and limited waste treatment capability.

The 2013 Official Community Plan guiding vision to 2031:

RURAL BY NATURE: A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE, WORK & PLAY
We preserve our rural community character, exceptional quality of life and abundant recreational
opportunities. We protect and live in harmony with our natural environment and its diverse habitats.
We encourage sustainable, social and economic growth while respecting our heritage.

The Halfmoon Bay Official Community Plan recognizes the rural nature of Halfmoon Bay as a predominantly residential seaside community, rich in natural beauty in a low density community, characterized by a variety of unique neighbourhoods.

Halfmoon Bay Official Community Plan Goals (Expand)

To maintain the rural characteristics of the area, reinforced by the low density community.
To ensure on-going biodiversity through the protection, restoration and enhancement of plant and animal habitats.
To retain and to protect visually and ecologically important areas and to maintain public ownership of historical sites.
To reduce visual, air, sound and light pollution and light trespass.
To ensure sufficient cultural and recreational opportunities exist including accessible public parkland and access to the natural environment including the waterfront.
To enhance and expand the existing system of natural open spaces.
To actively foster a walk-able and bike-able community culture where people have easy access to their community and pedestrians and cyclists have priority.
To ensure that compatible land uses are located in proximity to each other, and that adequate buffer zones separate non-compatible uses.
To encourage innovative housing projects to improve affordability and choice.
To encourage limited neighbourhood commercial development supporting both the needs of the local community and tourism.
To encourage value added local business opportunities.
To ensure that sufficient services and infrastructure are available to support human needs.

Subdivisions

Lot Subdivision is regulated by OCP designation (Subdivision Zoning) which define use, minimum parcel size and density. This is separate from Land Use Zoning, codified in the Zoning Bylaws, which provide more ‘granular’ regulations about land use and buildings.

To apply for a subdivision, a lot’s OCP designation must first permit the desired density and use. For example Residential Properties in Halfmoon Bay are designated by the OCP as A, B or C which allow different minimum lot sizes. Lots also have Land Use Zoning such as R1, R2, RU1 which regulate property use and buildings in greater detail.

Changes to Subdivision designations require an Official Community Plan amendment and (usually) a Land Use Zoning amendment. This process involves, a public information meeting, a public hearing, referral to a local planning advisory commission before the SCRD Board make their decision.

Once a lot is zoned appropriately a subdivision application can be submitted. In the SCRD, it’s important to understand the BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI) approves subdivisions at it’s discretion, with input from the SCRD and Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH). SCRD regulates land use. VCH regulates liquid waste.

Resources

Sustainable Development Posts

Update – Potential Area B. Landfill Sites
Mar 22 2024 Update Remko Rosenboom is the General Manager of Infrastructure Services for the SCRD and informed an HBES member/former board member that, based… Read more: Update – Potential Area B. Landfill Sites
New SCRD Landfill Rules
New SCRD regulations will come into effect on October 1st, 2022, banning food waste and paper from our local garbage stream. Both residents and businesses… Read more: New SCRD Landfill Rules
Request for a Court Order
On Mar 31, 2022, the following letter about the Bayview Hills development (above Coopers Green) was sent to senior staff at the Sunshine Coast Regional… Read more: Request for a Court Order
Unregulated Development in Halfmoon Bay
In discussing development it’s important to recognize the housing crisis being faced on the Sunshine Coast and across the country is having a widespread impact… Read more: Unregulated Development in Halfmoon Bay
Environmentally Important Sites and Streams on the Sunshine Coast
(Report Received by the SCRD Feb 25, 1998) The Sunshine Coast, particularly along Highway 101, is one of the fastest growing parts of the province,… Read more: Environmentally Important Sites and Streams on the Sunshine Coast
Letters
Current Development in Halfmoon Bay, with reference to the Official Community Plan. I am very concerned about the level of development/deforestation/environmental destruction going on in… Read more: Letters
Unsuitable Landfill Options Considered for Halfmoon Bay
BACKGROUND On January 20th, 2021, the SCRD Infrastructure Services Committee held a virtual meeting at which a Consultant from Tetra Tech outlined various options (Annex… Read more: Unsuitable Landfill Options Considered for Halfmoon Bay