Board Policy No. P3740-00.02 - Building Permit Issuance West Bench, Sage Mesa, Husula Highlands, West Bench Estates Area (1992)

The Board’s current Building Permit Issuance West Bench, Sage Mesa, Husula Highlands, West Bench Estates Policy (Policy No. P3740-00.02) was implemented in 1992 following the completion of the West Bench/Sage Mesa Area Geological Hazards Review (1992), which was prepared by Klohn Leonoff Ltd. (the "Klohn Leonoff report").

The Policy applies to lands delineated as Zones 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 of the Klohn Leonoff report (see below) requires that:

• a Regional District building inspector provide an applicant for a building permit with "access to a copy of the Klohn Leonoff report and advise that he requires a report certified by a professional engineer with experience in geotechnical engineering on the proposed development"; and,
• the professional engineer prepare a detailed report certifying that the land may be used safely forhe uses intended anutlines other considerations similar to those now found under Section 56 of the Community Charter.

The types of construction subject to the Policy includes new construction of a building or the structural alteration or addition to an existing building, but does not include the repair or reconstruction of an existing building or structure or the construction of a deck, balcony, shed, carport or garage that does not contain any plumbing fixtures. NOTE: Regardless of the Policy, the Building Inspector has the discretion to require a geotechnical report where they consider the construction to be subject to hazards not referred to within the Klohn Leonoff report.

Greater West Bench Geotechnical Review (2022)

As part of a review of the Electoral Area "F" Official Community Plan (OCP) completed in 2018, it was recommended that “an updated technical assessment of geotechnical hazards in the West Bench / Sage Mesa area using new technologies (e.g., LiDAR) that were not available when the area was last assessed” be undertaken.

The Greater West Bench Geotechnical Review (2022) was subsequently completed by Ecora Engineering & Resource Group Ltd. and Clarke Geoscience Ltd. and recommended, amongst other things, that the Regional District:

• establish minimum report requirements for geotechnical studies; and
• create a publicly accessible database of previously completed geohazard and geotechnical reports.

Given the completion of the Greater West Bench Geotechnical Review (2022), it is being proposed that:

• Board Policy No. 3740-00.02 (Building Permits Issuance West Bench, Sage Mesa, Husula Highlands, West Bench Estates) be repealed; and,
• a new Geotechnical Report Requirements Policy be introduced.

The purpose of the proposed Geotechnical Report Requirements Policy is to ensure that geotechnical reports are clearly addressing legislative requirements by confirming that the land may be used safely for the use intended (e.g., s. 56 of the Community Charter) and that submitted reports can be made available for public review, including by other qualified professionals, through an online document library (i.e., the Regional District's proposed Greater West Bench Geotechnical Report Library).

If adopted, the Geotechnical Report Requirements Policy would apply to lands within the Greater West Bench Area in Electoral Area "F" (i.e., West Bench, Sage Mesa, Husula Highlands, and Westwood Estates). 

planning@rdos.bc.ca