Red tape and other busi

THIS week, a collec-
tion of smaller yarns to
ponder with mug of
mulled wine by the fes-
tive blaze.

Business first.

Followed closely by com-
mon sense — which abounds
in the recently released ree
ommendations trom the BC
Business Summit 98 report,

For instance, fellow tax
dupes, the Summit recom:
mendy cuts to personal and
business taxes totalling $1.5
billion, a 3% cur in govern:
ment spending and an
aggressive assault on the
province's $30 billion debt.

Modest proposals, per-
haps, bur a good start,
nonetheless,

[t alse calls for balanced
budget and debt manage-
ment legislation and a return
to balance in B.C.’s labour:
loving Labour Relations
Code.

North Vancouver Diszrict
residents will be pleased to
know their community was
featured in the report.

On second thought,
maybe they won't be pleased.

Pages 33 and 34 carry the
unsettling tale of Nancy
Stibbard, Capilano
Suspension Bridge operator
and recent North Vancouver
Chamber of Commerce
Business Excellence Award
winner.

File her story under
Modern Municipal Gothic
Horror — Regulation and
Red Tape category.

It kicks off with this omi-
nous dark-and-stormy-night
opening: “One example of
the damage done (to busi-
nesses) by inflexible and cost-
ly municipal zoning regula-

ripping

yarns

tian was cited...
Stibbard ...°

The tale continues with a
first-person account of the
horror itselt:

“tnorder to make a 100
sq. ft. addition ta our cate,
under our particular zoning,

by Naney

“File her story
under Modern
Municipal Gothic
Horror —
Regulation and
Red Tape
category.”

we were required to build a
1,000 sq. ft. structure as 90%
of any new building would
have to be set aside for reere-
ational /entertainment usage.

We had to build 90% to
caver 10%,

T argued nivself blue and
row it’s in the hands of a
consultant. Because of our
ususual zoning | entertained
rezoning.

Asa result of that inquiry,
the district (North
Vancouver) wanted me to
provide fishery, forestry and
environmental scudies of
Capilano River!”

St. FRANCIS-IN- THE-Woop
ANGLICAN CHURCH

"When Christmas Huris"

For those who find the

season an occasion of pain,

Tuesday, December 22st

at 7:30pm

Rev. Trevor Fisher
4773 South Picadilly Lane

West Vancouver

cason

=

cms,
ae

n's 3 Greeti

fiom n the new

S ScotiaMcLeod

ait 200-1343 Lonsdale Ave., _
North Vancouver, BC V7M 2H7
__ PBT-7600 Fax: 981-7611

Phev forgot reports an
the soning’. umpact on die
Spotted Owl and Global
Warnung.

This is the same North
Vancouver District that was
recognized ia report last
sear by the Canadian
Federation of Independent
Business as being, among,
ether things. the worst man-
aged municipality int Western
Canada and generally a bad
place to try to da business,

Pin sure Ms. Stibbard
would agree with that assess:
ment. ; ;

se

Speaking of municipal
ues: the Narth Share’s
fourth municipalin, which
goes under the name of the
Squamish Nation, was the
subject ofa Deo. 6 Ripping
Yarns that dealt with Bul C-
49, The legislation is
designed te give T+ native
bands across Canada, includ:

ing the Squamish, direct con-

tral aver heir reserve lands
and the ability to institute
their own Laws.

Phe Liberals have been
atdempaing to whoop the bill
through Parliament in the
waning days of 1998.

Bur the legislation could
have a pretound impact on
municipalities neighboring
reserve lands. Municipalities
that, in these parts anyway,
know next to nothing about
it.

A ket concern, among,
others, is that under the leg-
islation native bands will
establish land codes control-
ling reserve development
independent of their munici-
pal neighbours, who supply
them with water and other
services.

North Vancouver Reform

2474 Marine Dr., W.V.
(rear lane next to Capers)

925-1082

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MP Ted White was the tirst
ta saise alarm bells aver the
bill, He took his Concerns to
Ottawa,

After aadergomis intense
pressure tn the House to
knuckle under and support
Ml 49) White, along with
fellow Retorm MP fohn
Duncan, stood firm in push
ing for an amendment that
the land codes required of
aative bands be completed
with input from surrounding
munweipalities.

Their opposition stalled
passage oF C49. Bat the bill
will return atter the
Christmas break.

tn the meantime,
Squamish Chief Bill Williams
apparently saw the valoe of
communication with the
band's neighbours. He con-
tacted White and suggested
that he, White and West
Vancouver Sunshine Coast
MP John Reynolds meet
with the North Shore munic-
ipaiities to discuss the bill
and Sgaamish development
plans. A promising gesture,
but empty thus far.

White promptly faxed all
Parties to arrange a miceting
for Dee. 17, but the only
replies he got back were
from Reynolds and West
Vancouver Mavor Pat
Boname.

Disappointing, but not
unexpected; merely further

evidence of local political
myopia.

Land codes and major
development plans should
not be concocted in isota-
tion. Municipal neighbors
need to work together tor
the good of the community
as a whole, else that commu:
nity won't be worth much at
all.

ESS Yarns

Sunday, December 20, 1996 -- North Shore News - 7

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