Roy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - Rick Shellinick has been trying to subdivide his property for more than ten years and it now looks like he will not be able to have a public zoning meeting anytime in the immediate future. At their last meeting, the Strathcona Regional District Board passed a motion postponing all public meetings on Quadra Island until the province removes restrictions on public gatherings.

This is a controversial project, which in its current incarnation calls for developing 51 residential lots, a campground, marina and two waterfront parks in Gowland Harbour.

>>> The opposing vote

Though this was a meeting of the whole board, it is a rural issue and only the four Regional Directors could vote. All but one of them voted in favour of suspending public meetings.

Cortes Island’s Regional Director Noba Anderson, explained why she opposed the motion: “ I would support a delay for a few months, but it seems very likely that we won’t be able to have mass indoor gatherings for a year or more and I do not think it is appropriate to delay the core business of community land use planning, which is arguably the reason Regional Districts exist, indefinitely.”

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