The Courtenay Fish and Game Protective Association won’t have to worry about getting expensive special event permits from the regional district.
The district’s electoral area services committee signed off last week on a bylaw text amendment that would exempt special events associated with a principal use in the zoning.
The Fish and Game, situated out on Comox Lake, was worried that the new special events permit bylaw would cause nothing but headaches for them.
That’s because many of their events attract over 400 people at one time, the number stipulated in the bylaw as requiring a permit to ensure that insurance, sanitation and security are provided.
Representatives of the Fish and Game appeared before the electoral area services committee last month asking for an exemption for their annual outdoor show.
The committee sent staff back to “tweak” the bylaw to make sure it didn’t inadvertently affect responsible organizations, like the Fish and Game.
The Fish and Game club, Saratoga Speedway, Mt. Washington Alpine Resort, and others are set up to support special events, and won’t require a special events permit, said Brian Chow, the district’s long planner.
The Fish and Game right now is operating under a temporary use permit which expires in 2019 by which time new regional zoning will be in place that will cover them.
The proposed text amendment will be forwarded to the regional board meeting this week for the first three readings. It then has to be sent to the ministry of health for approval before receiving final adoption.
“I’m happy,” said Area C director Edwin Griever. “Every time we do something, something pops up that doesn’t quite fit.”