Although not specific to the Bell McKinnon area, the new Community Amenity Contribution Policy and information regarding servicing constraints have implications for development in the area:

New Community Amenity Contribution (CAC) Policy has been adopted by Council:

On February 4 Council adopted the Interim CAC Policy which will be used as a basis for negotiations for rezonings throughout the Municipality, including in the Bell McKinnon area. The policy has two parts:

• Requests for contributions towards short-term infrastructure, and
• Request for contributions towards affordable housing.

Updated information on servicing constraints in North Cowichan, including as applicable to the Bell McKinnon area:

On February 18, North Cowichan’s engineering director Clay Reitsma, made a presentation to Council on key servicing constraints and options for moving forward. Increased growth and development demands, provincial housing targets, and the recent closure of the Crofton pulp mill have combined to create significant constraints and impacts on North Cowichan’s limited water and sewer servicing, and water licensing limits. A number of funding, operational, and capital project recommendations were presented. Council authorized the mayor to write a letter to the Minister of Water, Land, and Resource Stewardship asking that water licence increases for the Cowichan and Chemainus aquifers be expedited.

A Servicing Allocation Policy was also brought forward at the February 18 Council meeting. The purpose of the policy is to permit provisional, time-limited allocations to access water and sewer servicing for subdivision applications prior to final approval.