On Backyard Chickens...Further viewpoints July 2013

 

If there is a “trial” in Squamish, let's make sure that the District is fully prepared to follow through with the policing/control aspect of all this. During the “trial” I am sure this would be done but later, due to obvious fiscal constraints, things will inevitably fall back. The very best example of this is the pitiful Dog Control bylaw and its lack of application.

The wildlife attractant aspect remains as important and particularly in R1 Zoned urban areas this will be a problem…counter to all the efforts of Bear aware.

You can put your chicken coops in the equivalent of Fort Knox but the bears and coyotes will still come sniffing around . And, one successful break-in due to lack of vigilance will undo years of work by B.A. preventative measures. Any meaningful trial will restrict householders to about five hens. Their efficient egg laying lifespan will be about four years and then they will have to be replaced to ensure continued “food security”.

Nowadays it is technically illegal for ordinary people to simply bonk the birds on the head. They will have to be euthanized (legally) by a vet…..costly. The type of chicken food for the best production includes fish-meal and this is smelly and not cheap.

A meaningful trial should involve full permission from neighbors on both sides of the property, otherwise there will be battles which could get nasty!

LEAVE CHICKEN REARING TO RURAL AREAS IN OUR VALLEY and buy your eggs from them. Such a “can of worms”, I think.

Oh yes, for the “educational experience” of the kiddies, have them watch their pets be put down after four or five years!....Hmmm.

Development north of Garibaldi Highlands and the need for a new access road to Garibaldi Highlands.     (Dave Colwell July 2013)

 

We have needed and long awaited a new access road to Garibaldi Highlands.

 

At present we have 3: Highlands Way South, Skyline Drive and an unpaved road which runs from the Squamish Golf course to, and past, the backside of Quest University.

 

Highlands Way South is the most used by residents of the Highlands and also by far too many heavy duty vehicles. The latter cannot efficiently use Skyline Drive due to its sharp turns and some other factors. For example, there is also an ongoing safety issue regarding any heavy use of this road since steep driveways feed down onto it and the visibility is ,in many cases, inadequate. Residents have complained and traffic calming devices have been tried for several years.

 

All heavy duty traffic going to Quest should use the unpaved road mentioned but many don't bother, preferring the smoother route , I suppose. The noise and shaking due to the traffic on H.W.S. has become severe due to increased local construction. It should also be noted that there has been damage done to the east roundabout on the boulevard which has not been repaired for around two years. There is also considerable cracking of the tarmac near the expansion joints of the bridge to Quest which has been roughly  patched and this may be due to increased heavy traffic since the bridge was built.

 

We need another access route soon. I note recent discussion of a  proposed development of 98 acres north of GH with a veiled promise of a new North Road. But it seems there is resistance to this idea from Councillors Heintzman and Raiser who sight infrastructure costs and projected road maintenance costs.

 

Let us all hope that this will not all grind to a halt and be bogged down in the ubiquitous red tape we have hindering the running of this town.

It should be pointed out that there is expediential construction proceeding at this time at Quest and there is considerable land "ear-marked" for future development to the north of the campus.  

 

I reiterate: All construction vehicles travelling to and from this area should not use H.W.S. or go over the Mashiter bridge at the end of the Boulevard.  In past years there has been perfunctory "directional policing" of such traffic  but this seems to have lapsed recently.  I therefore implore Council to look into this as soon as possible.