The Capital Regional District (CRD) board has asked staff to outline legal ramifications of temporarily “decriminalizing” long-term RV parking in some lots at parks on Salt Spring Island, as officials here seek an over-wintering spot for those displaced from a cleared-out encampment.
“We have a serious homelessness issue on Salt Spring,” said Salt Spring CRD director Gary Holman, who addressed fellow board members Wednesday, Dec. 13. “We’re trying to find a place where folks literally living in their vehicles can have a relatively safe place to park, that has some degree of management and oversight, and some kind of protection.”
Holman brought a motion to the CRD’s Electoral Areas Committee, which ultimately advanced a request for a staff report on “de-prioritizing enforcement of parking regulations” at the Rainbow Recreation Centre lot, on the CRD’s Kanaka Road property and at the parking lot in front of Mouat Park. Last week, Salt Spring’s Local Community Commission agreed to start work with the Chuan Society in hopes of negotiating a managed space through the end of April — helping people evicted last month from BC Housing’s undeveloped Drake Road property.
“Right now, people are parking willy-nilly throughout the village,” said Holman, who also serves on Salt Spring’s LCC. “Some of those folks, at some times, are being harassed by certain individuals — more than harassed, sometimes it can amount to vandalism or even physical threats and worse.”
Salt Spring CRD senior manager Karla Campbell said there was already a legal review underway, adding that on-island staff have received some feedback from local police.
“RCMP has informed us that they would want to see that there’s a plan in place, so that they’re not always the ones to be responding,” Campbell told the board. “They don’t have the resources to be dealing with the issues that come up with certain behaviours that happen in these encampments.”
CAO Ted Robbins warned they could face difficulties in deciding not to enforce some bylaws.
“We would find ourselves potentially in a situation that could be challenging when it comes to service authority,” said Robbins, “particularly if we receive complaints from members of the community. We are obligated to respond.”
Holman said the discussion surrounded a smaller number than perhaps fellow CRD directors imagined — “We’re talking about eight vans,” he said — but he did expect to hear from park neighbours.
“This is not an attempt to eliminate ‘no parking’ regulations,” said Holman, “but to put it as a low priority so when folks are calling staff, staff can point to elected officials.”
“We have to be thinking of the broader impacts with allowing folks to live in their vehicles in community parks,” said Robbins, “when it comes to thinking of how we’re managing wastes — including human wastes, which we know has been a problem.”
CRD board chair Colin Plant emphasized that the move was, so far, just a request for more information to guide decision-making.
“Any concerns that we haven’t offered the public an opportunity to weigh in will be addressed when this report comes back,” said Plant.
CRD should set up another RV park. Most around the island are full.
Does Holman understand how laws are created and enforced? Change the rules Mr Politician or enforce the rules that exist. Politicians are not the “special” elected individuals who decide which laws are enforced,
“ “This is not an attempt to eliminate ‘no parking’ regulations,” said Holman, “but to put it as a low priority so when folks are calling staff, staff can point to elected officials.”