NCIL

APR 29 1974

TO: Members of Council ; DATE: April 26, 1974

FROM: Mayor Campbell
9)

This is not a tirade against a government but against all governments past,
present and future. I am greatly perturbed about the gradual erosion of
municipal responsibility by the Provincial Government. In the past they
rezoned large acreages of land near Roberts Banks and when this was disputed
they disbanded the Lower Mainland Planning Board. In the past they very
stupidly interferred with our only form of financing, assessment, by holding

it to 10% increase per year which is now causing us a great deal of difficulties.
Without ¢onsultation the government, through the Land Commission, froze most of
our land in the City and has made it impossible to plan especially for industry.
They also, again, got involved without consultation with assessments and this
has caused a great uproar amongst the citizens of the City. Last week, again
without consultation, they have instructed us to reassess 100%. Although the
Act has not passed through Parliament we are forced to hire extra people in
order to carry this out.

This week was the most horrendous move of all, made by the Department of Muni-
cipal Affairs when they took over the responsibility of zoning for the Gulf
Islands. They have placed this in the hands of three trustees appointed by the
Provincial Government with two local trustees sitting in. I am totally convinced
that Mr. Lorimer was not elected for his ability to zone and I know that if all

of us in British Columbia do not object that our power of zoning will gradually
disappear. it must be pointed out that the single avenue of redress from decisions
of the trustees is the Minister of Municipal Affairs and there is no appeal to
higher courts.

If the Council does not wish to get involved with this I would like to make them
aware that I am going to send this letter to Victoria on my own. TI do hope that.
other municipalities and the Union of British Columbia Municipalities send in
their objections. ,