The Local Weekly The heart and soul of our communities with news and information about the Sunshine Coast
One of the priorities of Sechelt Council is to encourage the active participation and engagement of citizens in both the cultural life and the future development of our community. This message suggests a number of ways to connect with the life of our community.
Already underway is the annual Sechelt Arts Festival. This 10-day long festival includes a variety of exhibits and events, many of which are free and family-oriented. The events for the Sechelt Arts Festival take place in a number of venues around Sechelt. I encourage you to check out their online schedule at secheltartsfestival.com
Beginning this weekend is the popular Sunshine Coast Art Crawl. Spanning the Coast from Port Mellon to Egmont, the Crawl will give you the chance to meet our local artists in their studios. A map is available online at sunshinecoastartcrawl.com.
Citizens are encouraged to provide comments and advice to Council on new developments and proposed projects. One way to do this is by attending and participating in a Public Information Meeting. These meetings are requested of all major developments, and they allow the public to review proposed plans, maps, and designs. Participating in one of these meetings will provide you with an opportunity to ask questions, and to make suggestions directly to those involved with the new development.
A more formal way for citizens to participate is by attending a Public Hearing. Public Hearings are regulated by the Local Government Act of BC and are required to be held when changes to zoning or the Official Community Plan are proposed. The purpose of a Public Hearing is to solicit opinion and comment – not for discussion or debate. They are designed so that Council can hear from all sides of an issue, and for all citizens to speak in a respectful and non-intimidating space. Information about upcoming Public Hearings is published in local newspapers and posted on Sechelt.ca.
Next time you visit Sechelt.ca, be sure to provide your input into our Cultural Plan survey. The District of Sechelt is undertaking a review of its Culture Plan, and your feedback is needed to ensure we are meeting the needs of our citizens.
Next month our Citizen Satisfaction Survey will launch. This survey is an opportunity for us to obtain feedback from our residents regarding their level of satisfaction with, and opinions about, District of Sechelt services, initiatives and activities. This year the survey will be conducted via phone and online.
Whether through arts events, development planning, or citizen surveys, there are many ways to participate in your local government. I encourage all Sechelt residents to connect and communicate with their neighbours, their community and the District of Sechelt.
