Opinion Volume 79 Issue No. 38 TheReview Wednesday, September 18,1991 — A6 @ - Sewage treaiment: Get the sludge out — Council members finally found a way to really draw up the drawbridge in Central Saanich. Monday, council passed a resolution that prohibits approval of any rezoning applications where the resulting development creates a higher flow of sewage flow. The Central Saanich Pollution Control Centre Expansion Study recently completed by independent consultants Dayton and Knight Ltd. for the Capital Regional District indicates that there is capacity for about 200-300 more residential homes to be hooked up, during usual conditions. (In wet conditions that figure would decrease because of the influx of rain water into the system.) The plant’s treatment capability is still within safe limits and the plant is operating efficiently. Applications by property owners currently within the sewer enterprise area who do not require rezoning will still be allowed to hook up to the system. Council’s action prohibits the sewer enterprise area from being expanded, especially when expansion of the area would allow for further subdivision. Council also requested the Tsartlip and Tsawout Indian bands to “‘cooperate in limiting, where possible, connections to the band’s sewage collection system.” That’s another issue, but particularly timely considering family members within the Tsawout band are considering private initiatives to build a shopping centre next to the Pat Bay Highway. The initiative to “restrict further significant flow increases” is actually being done for two reasons. The first is simple — the plant is rapidly reaching capacity and plans to expand it or replace it are proceeding slowly. Second, Central Saanich is one of the few municipalities that is taking a Ministry of Environment directive seriously, despite that fact it has the most modem plant in the area. Municipalities have been repeatedly wamed that they are operating outside of their B.C. Environment permits for discharging into the waters of the Strait of Georgia. By making a real effort to reduce the amount of sewage going to the plant, Central Saanich is doing something. But, what they’re doing is essentially just an act for the regulators. Reducing the flow does not change the fact that Central Saanich continues to pump sewage sludge through the outfall into the Strait along with the effluent it was separated from. That’s really what the Ministry of Environ- ment (and the public) wants to stop. Council is killing two birds with one stone. The municipal- ity appears to be trying to meet the regulations while at the same time it is achieving its philosophy of limiting growth. Whoever thought this one up deserves a big round of applause from the preservationists. Now, the three municipalities should get on with concrete initiatives to dispose of sewage sludge through environmen- tally-sound methods so the plant can operate within its pemnit. Letters to the editor on issues of concern to our readers are welcomed by The Review. All letters must be addressed to the editor and bear an original signature of the letter writer. Letters must contain the letter writer's street address and telephone number for verification purposes and not for publication. Letter should not exceed 300 words in length and may be edited for clarity, legality, brevity and taste. TheReview Serving The Saanich Peninsula Since 1912 9726 First Street Sidney, B.C V8L 3C9 or PO. Box 2070 Sidney, B.C V8L 3S5 Second Class Mail Registration #0128 656-1151 Publisher: Ken Chyz Editor: Glenn Werkman AN ISLAND PUBLISHERS NEWSPAPER 4 PRIZE Win. ~ con ee ne UNTy —— G oe Upp trens 1550S EWSPapeRS CO _ VERIFIED _ CIRCULAT-ON w. BUT, ACCORDING To TRE LATEST Poll. OF 267 LEFTEHANDED SHEPHERDS, WE'VE GONE -YerqH OFA PERCENTAGE POINT AHEAD OF OUR OPPONENTS. _ WERE VINDICATED! OUR PLATFORIA HAS THE PUBLICS CANANIMOUS TT ATTN Te TNT SADN CHEY Sr Three cheers for youths of Sidney Editor: Monday evening, about 10 p.m., my husband went into the Beacon Avenue 7-Eleven Store, and when he left, his wallet dropped from his pocket outside the store. He arrived home 15 minutes later, and in a few minutes there was a knock at our door. Three young men had discovered the wallet, and immediately drove to our house to return it — all the way to the Lands End Road area. He was so surprised at realizing he’d lost the wallet, and that some people were such good citizens, he hardly thanked them properly. So, this is an open letter with very sincere thanks to the young men in our community, who showed us that the spirit of Sidney is alive and well in our youths. Ted and Jeanne Parsons Sidney Illegal part of the communily Editor: I would like to introduce my family and myself to you. I was born here almost 40 years ago and have lived here all my life. My husband has lived on the Saanich Peninsula for over 30 years and operates a successful business. We have both owned homes and prop- erty in the Sidney area. I have watched Sidney grow from a small Village to a busy and beautiful little Town. My children were bom on Resthaven Island and are presently going to Parkland School and working in Sidney. As well as taking care of my family I operate a small tourist- oriented business. I do all my shopping in Sidney, groceries, clothing, books, gas, hardware, etc. for my home and business. What I am trying to say is that I am a part of this community. I support Sidney and want it to be a good place to live. The problem is I can’t tell you my name or address because I live here in Sidney illegally. No, I am not a nasty wanted criminal ... I live on my boat!!! I do pay my taxes through my moorage. I don’t “poop in the bay.” We use the onshore facilities (who knows where that goes?). I resent the notion that I am getting a free ride. Our boat is a well-maintained valuable yacht and our moorage (and get this) live-aboard fee is not cheap. There are at least 100 live- aboard boats in the Sidney North Saanich area. It is time to take a new look at the bylaws that do not allow liveaboard: Because we live illegally we are often subject to pressure brought to bear by onshore residents through city hall or the Marina owner. Live-aboards need a legal status and should be regulated by bylaws specific to them ie: flushing, appearance, etc. Marina owners should not be able to hold you ransom because you have no where else to go, nor should they be allowed to sell more liveaboard slips than the Marina facility can sustain. In general the Marina owners we have dealt with are a pretty fair lot and know and appreciate the value of live-aboards as security for the Marina. The existing bylaws have never stopped people from living aboard, are impossible to enforce and create more problems by mak- ing people be sneakaboards. Name withheld by request — North Saanich Judge actions for yourself Editor: Hats off to Hubert Beyer, a journalist who is prepared to get the facts, weigh them, then make a judgment. Let your readers judge the actions of the protesters in the Walbran. Consider the following: A naked protester hurls human excrement at police, after smearing it on his arms and legs. A Jogging manager is insulted and spat on by protesters as he reads them a court order. One protester grabs the court order, tears it up and screams he’s going tO use it to wipe his bottom, or words to that effect. A helicopter is endangered on take-off when four protesters apparently try to grab its landing gear, then hurl rocks at it as it climbs away. Road building equipment is deliberately sabotaged to the tune of $50,000. As so-called ‘environmentalists’ move their camps from one site to another. they leave trails of gar- bage, plastic bags and other debris behind. Who are these people? There is growing evidence at least some Walbran demonstrators have been well-trained eco terrorists from the US. and elsewhere. : Others were B.C. high schoo students on summer vacation. One can’t help wondering how parents feel, knowing their children spent time in the Walbran with the kind of people responsible for the above acts. Let’s hope your readers won't judge those youngsters by the company they keep. Ron Neil Fletcher Challenge Canada Vancouver Comforting thoughts Editor: Some comforting thoughts. Rita has hired more image builders (spin doctors). What will it cost us! While hospitals scream for assets we are assailed with that useless B.C. government news about a million annually. Bill Bennett, whose government put this province almost $14 bil- lion in debt, will be giving Rita the value of his many years of exper- tise. Doug Dicks Brentwood Stinging indictment of forest blundering Editor: A highly critical, internal docu- ment from the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans was released to the public on August 19. Complete with 12 pages of color photographs of logging infractions, it is a stinging indict- ment of the ineffectualness of the Ministry of Forests. It is a blistering attack on past and current logging practices in TEL. 46 on southern Vancouver Island. The report says that M.O.E Continued on Page A8 ) a