SRD preparing reports for Quadra: rentals, parking, waste collection

Roy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - SRD staff have been instructed to prepare studies on residential waste collection, the legal status of short-term rentals and roadside parking on Quadra Island. These topics arose at the Electoral Areas Services Committee (EASC) meeting on May 10th. Regional Director Robyn Mawhinney made the following motions, all of which were seconded by Cortes Island Director Mark Vonesch.

“The reliability and costs of solid waste collection services on Quadra Island is causing some islanders to wonder about alternatives. Within the Stratcona Regional District, some electoral areas such as Cortes Island and the Sayward Valley have solid waste services provided by the SRD,” Mawhinney explained.

“I’m curious about the costs of such a service for Quadra Island. Has a study looking into this ever been done before? And what are the steps needed to investigate this?”

Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) David Leitch replied, “To my knowledge, I don’t think we have since this Regional District’s been in existence. So I think the answer is no.”

To which Mawhinney replied, “I would like to move that staff prepare a report on options for residential waste collection on Quadra Island.”

The next question pertains to the legality of short-term rentals

“Strathcona Regional District’s 2022 housing needs survey for Area C detailed that short-term vacation rental numbers have exponentially increased. In 2016, there were 54. By 2021 there were 177. Interestingly, the 2022 housing survey details that 86% of the short-term vacation rentals in Area C are entire dwellings, which leads me to wonder what the legal status of short-term vacation rentals is within Area C,” said Mawhinney.

“I understand that short-term vacation rentals may fall under the home occupation provision of the Quadra Island zoning bylaw. Not withstanding that I would like to move that this committee receive a report on the legal status of short-term vacation rentals in area C and avenues for managing their growth.”

Mawhinney also wanted information about how to deal with problematic vehicles parked along Quadra Island roads.

 “There are several incidences of long-term parking of vehicles including commercial vehicles on Quadra’s roadsides. Until recently, the Ministry of Transportation was able to check insurance and uninsured vehicles could be removed,” said Mawhinney

“However, ICBC is no longer providing expiry date tags, so Ministry of Transportation has no way of knowing if a vehicle is rightfully insured or not. The Quadra Island zoning bylaw has parking provisions for off-street parking. What I’m curious about is how or what the process is now for removing non-conforming commercial vehicles from roadside parking.”

“Summer is coming. Quadra’s roads are significantly busier and long-term parking of wide vehicles in some cases is impinging on traffic and active transportation safety. I would like to move that a report be prepared on the legalities of commercial vehicle roadside parking, long-term roadside parking, and how these matters would best be managed or enforced.”

EASC passed all these motions and SRD staff will prepare the reports