June 23rd, 2010 File: 3030-20-Boundary Expansion

Mr. Mike Cantle Ms. Denise English

Mr. Bruce Fairley Mr. Ryan Watmough
POSTED VIA EMAIL

Dear Sirs/Madam:

RE: Letter Received May 19th, 2010 Cited as “Community Opportunity”

Thank you for your correspondence per the above to the Town of Golden regarding your issues with
differing governance models between the municipal and regional rural jurisdictions and your
suggestion for consideration of a district municipality model of governance for the collective area.

Your letter has been discussed and contemplated by the Town of Golden Council following a staff
report submitted by the Chief Administrative Officer which is attached. It is the purpose of this
letter to convey to you the resolution brought forward from those discussions, being:

“THAT based on the report, „Municipal Boundary Extension-Preliminary Investigation into the
process and possible impacts of the Town of Golden becoming a District Municipality‟ from the
CAO dated June 15th, 2010, Council APPROVE Option 2 and DIRECT staff to respond in
writing to the authors of the "Community Opportunity" letter dated may 18, 2010, indicating
that Council has determined it is not willing to pursue District Municipality status at this time.”

Originally discussed in a closed meeting environment, Council has also resolved to bring the
attached staff report forward into open session. I trust the report will provide for you sufficient
preliminary information as grounds for both resolutions.

Sincerely,

Jon Wilsgard
Manager of Corporate Administration

Cc: Norm Macdonald, MLA;

Charles Hamilton, CAO, Columbia Shuswap Regional District
Ron Oszust, Chair, Columbia Shuswap Regional District
David Allen, CAO, Town of Golden

Attachment-Staff Report and Original Letter

Town of Golden
PO Box 350, 810 S. 9th Avenue, Golden, BC V0A 1H0ghjkghjk
Phone: 250.344.2271 Fax:250.344.6577 E-Mail: enquiries@town.golden.bc.ca Website:www.golden.ca
 Staff Report
CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER

To: Closed Council File: 3030-20-Boundary Expansion

From: David Allen, CAO Date: June 15th, 2010
Subject: Municipal Boundary Extension - Preliminary Investigation into the Process and
Possible Impacts of the Town of Golden Becoming a District Municipality
Subject Matter Closed Under Community Charter Section: 90(1)(e)

RECOMMENDATION
THAT based on the report, “Municipal Boundary Extension-Preliminary Investigation into
the process and possible impacts of the Town of Golden becoming a District Municipality”
from the CAO dated June 15th, 2010;

THAT Council APPROVE Option 1 and DIRECT staff to request a meeting with the
authors of the “Community Opportunity” letter dated May 18th, 2010, to outline the process,
timeline, and implications of the Town of Golden becoming a District Municipality.

BACKGROUND
The purpose of this report is to follow up on Council‟s request for a staff report related to a
letter from a group of local citizens outlining possible benefits in the Town of Golden
becoming a District Municipality. A copy of the letter is attached to this report.

Following receipt of this letter at a closed Council meeting held on May 25th 2010, the
following resolution was passed:

THAT staff BE DIRECTED to undertake a preliminary investigation into the process and
possible impacts to the Town of Golden should it undertake to become a District Municipality.

In early June 2010, the CAO contacted staff at the Local Government Structure Branch
http://www.cd.gov.bc.ca/lgd/gov_structure/structure_branch_index.htm with the Ministry
of Community and Rural Services (MRCS) to better understand the process, timelines, and
potential impacts of becoming a District Municipality.

DISCUSSION
Given the preliminary nature of this report, and the complexity involved in undertaking an
application for such a significant boundary expansion, the following is intended to provide a
high-level overview.

Timeline – Provincial staff have indicated that at present no applications are being accepted
for any substantial boundary extensions. All applications are processed in-house by MCRS
staff, and have been fully committed until the end of the current election cycle in November
2011. New applications would begin in early 2012 at the soonest, and take at least two years
to complete.

Scope – There are a number of important questions that will need to be answered. How
much larger does Golden have to or want to expand? The Local Government Act requires a
minimum of 800 hectares (excluding land continually covered by water) with an average
population of five or less per hectare to become a “District Municipality”. What areas do we
want to include? Some examples include, Parson to Donald, Field, Beaver Foot, Bush
Harbour, Kinbasket Reservoir, and Kicking Horse Mountain Resort Ski Hill?

Developments outside the Town of Golden have not been subject to the same level of
regulation and oversight, which may bear consideration in deciding where the new Town
boundaries should be.

Process – According to Provincial requirements, requests to undertake a municipal boundary

extension require the following steps:
1. A resolution of support from the current elected officials (those elected in the next
local government election in November 2011). This would include the Town of
Golden Council, the Electoral Area „A‟ Director, and the CSRD Board.
2. A Proposal Submission that includes a rationale for the expansion –
a. land use implications, mapping, legal information.
b. infrastructure implications – local roads and new municipal responsibilities
for maintenance and upgrades.
c. Public Consultation within the proposed extension area, including referrals,
and copies of communications, consultation results with the public and
CSRD; Integrated Land Management Bureau; ALR; First Nations, etc.
3. Ministry Review –a preliminary financial analysis is undertaken early in the process to
determine if the cost implications are too onerous for the affected stakeholders. Once
the MCRD has completed an administrative report, it is referred to the Ministry of
Transportation and Infrastructure (MoT) for review and discussion with the
municipality.
4. Elector Approval is sought only after all issues have been addressed, under the Local
Government Act and Community Charter (Referendum or Alternative Approval
Process).
5. Cabinet Approval - following elector approval the Ministry prepares Letters Patent
implementing the proposed boundary change, which then must be approved by the
BC Lieutenant Governor in Council (Cabinet)

IMPLICATIONS
Strategic (Guiding Documents Relevancy -Strategic Plan, OCP)
 Official Community Plan – The creation of a District Municipality is not envisioned in
the current OCP. Boundary expansion is not favoured.
 Corporate Policies/Administrative Procedures – Implications are unknown at this time,
but expected to be considerable.
 Annual Work Plan – Not included in current work plan. Impacts will be considerable but
as yet are not quantified.

Financial (Corporate Budget Impact)

 Application costs – Provincial staff indicate that grants are not currently available for this
type of application. Application costs are expected to be considerable, but would require
further analysis;
 Increased municipal road maintenance and capital improvement costs;
 Provision of other municipal services – water, sewer, drainage, waste management, street
lighting, etc.
 Impacts on taxation (i.e. increases to farm assessments and associated taxes);
 Mapping, inventory work, and GIS. In 2008, the Town spent $50,000 for ortho photo and
lidar alone;
 Policing – Policing costs increase substantially for municipalities with populations greater
than 5,000.
Administrative (Policy/Procedure Relevancy, Workload Impact and Staffing)
 Planning and Development - Extensive work, costs, and time required as Area A has limited
planning, and the CSRD does not provide building inspection (which may also have
liability implications); mapping, inventory work, and GIS (again, in 2008 the Town spent
$50,000 just for ortho photo and lidar); local area planning; zoning; DCC‟s;
 Environment – Parks; Riparian Area Regulations; Hillside development; Wildfire
Protection, and; development near rivers;
 Town staffing – Significantly more staff will be needed in the Development and Planning
department buildings, and operations equipment as municipal services are extended to a
larger population located in a less densely populated area, and;
 Debt Load, Tax Rates, and Reserves.

OPTIONS
As there is no opportunity to apply for a significant boundary expansion application until
2012, following the next municipal election in November 2011, Administration provides the
following options for Council‟s consideration.

OPTION 1 – Council request a meeting with the authors of the “Community

Opportunity” letter dated May 18th 2010, to outline the process, timeline, and
implications of the Town of Golden becoming a District Municipality.
OPTION 2 – Council direct staff to respond in writing to the authors of the “Community
Opportunity” letter dated May 18th 2010, to outline the process, timeline, and
implications of the Town of Golden becoming a District Municipality.
OPTION 3 – Council refers this matter to the Committee of the Whole, or identify some
other acceptable option.

Respectfully Submitted,

David Allen
Chief Administrative Officer

Attachments-
1. „Community Opportunity‟ letter dated May 18th 2010, from Mike Cantle, Denise English,
Bruce Fairley, and Ryan Watmough;