Whistler's efforts to cut down on green house gases are moving from ideological principles to policy.
This summer, staff at municipal hall are drafting an amendment to Whistler's Official Community Plan that sets targets for greenhouse gas emissions.
Last week, housing planner Guy Patterson outlined for council how municipal staff plans to consult the community and stakeholders about reducing emissions. Specifically, staff will hold a public meeting, talk to the school board, meet with several Whistler 2020 task forces and consult with representatives from both the Squamish and Lil'wat First Nations.
This public consultation should cost $5,000 or less, said Patterson.
Whistler's Official Community Plan was adopted in 1993. It is widely acknowledged that over the past 16 years, the plan has become outdated. However, the municipality's chief administration officer, Bill Barratt, has said staff members do not have enough time to dive into the lengthy process of updating the planning document until after the 2010 Olympics.
On Tuesday, Patterson said the provincial government requires Whistler to add greenhouse gas emission targets to the community plan by May 31, 2010.
Therefore, staff has suggested a modest public consultation and community plan amendment for 2009, followed by a complete community plan revision in 2010 after the Games.
"There is a more comprehensive review and update of the OCP planned for 2010, but that wouldn't be completed in time for us to meet our green house gas deadlines," said Patterson.
"They (the green house gas emission targets) would potentially be revisited when the OCP is brought under revision next year."
Other "green" policy documents the municipality has to reduce greenhouse gases include: Whistler 2020, the Community Energy Play, Whistler Green, Partners for Climate Protection and the Climate Action Charter.
Said Patterson: "Really this OCP amendment would just formalize our legislated obligation and hopefully enforce what we are already trying to achieve."
Camping back at Riverside
Thirty-three camping spots near Fitzsimmons Creek will soon be reopened by Riverside RV Resort and Campground.
With little more than one month left of summer, Whistler council last week unanimously approved camping on the sites.
The decision was made with little debate during the July 21 meeting, although Councillor Ted Milner stressed how important it is to wrap up the process before the summer is over.
"Since this is a time-sensitive matter, I am supporting this application," said Milner.
Riverside is Whistler's only campground.
Last year, the campsite's owners had to shut down their 33 established camping spots because they lay in a floodway. Councillors of the day were concerned the land was not safe for people to sleep over night.
Council's appetite changed three weeks ago, though, when one of the campsite's co-owners, Nigel Woods, presented an engineering report from Kerr Wood Liedel that documents how the land is safe for camping. Among other things, the report states "without question that the tent sites are safe for the intended use."
The municipality is now working to finalize a development permit with the campsite owners.
In the meantime, the Riverside owners have relaxed their rules so that campers can pitch tents on their RV sites and on their main lawn area.
The Riverside RV Resort and Campground is also undergoing an expansion. More than 50 new RV sites and several yurts are being added this summer, as well as a day-spa.
Committee examining village improvements
A group of businesses, commercial property landlords, property managers and realtors have started to meet regularly to discuss ways to enhance Whistler Village.
The group, called the Business Enhancement Committee, was born out of the Resort Municipality of Whistler's Retail Strategy, and includes Mike Kirkegaard, manager of resort planning for the municipality.
"The village is our engine, so we have to constantly re-tune it and refuel it," committee member Drew Meredith explained to council last week.
"We don't have all the answers in terms of what we want to do. We are moving forward to facilitate groups in the village to move other people.... We are very focused on trying to get everyone on the same page and trying to get everyone to move together, as opposed to having separate camps."
So far, the Business Enhancement Committee has met five times. They have a meeting planned in Vancouver in August for commercial landlords and another one in September for business stakeholders.
"It is really about getting everyone together in the same room talking about the big picture, for the most part, but also smaller solutions that we might have to be able to implement to help everyone move forward and be more prosperous as we move into 2010," said Meredith.
He added that while a lot of people think Whistler may fall off a steep cliff on the last day of the Olympics, he thinks the resort municipality is going to hit the ground running in terms of planning.
"I am looking forward to after the Games," said the realtor and former two-term Whistler mayor.
Among other things, the Business Enhancement Committee has established a clear vision statement and put together a draft "retail street handbook" which examines possible improvements for Whistler Village.
