Brown's request reveals animosity within council

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speakup

SUSSEX CORNER - Former mayor Wayne Brown appeared before council here April 9 to request a change in the Rural Plan Bylaw, but council changed the agenda order and gave third and final reading to the bylaw before he had a chance to speak.

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Acting Mayor Peter Wiggins

Councillor Deacon McLaren

"I'm a little confused here," said Brown. "Is it redundant [to speak]?"

"It's not redundant," said Acting Mayor Peter Wiggins. "It's important you say what you came to say."

Brown wanted his property changed from R1(residential) to RA (rural area) which would have been less restrictive for the five acres he owns in the heart of the village. Brown said, and Wiggins confirmed, that Brown polled his neighbours who had no problem with his request, and Brown talked to council twice before the April 9 meeting to make the same request.

Wiggins said he visited Brown two days before the council meeting and told Brown then his request had to be presented in writing to the Royal District Planning Commission so they could consider it before sending the final bylaw wording to council. The RDPC is contracted by the village to do its planning, building inspections and permitting.

Brown said he approached the RDPC as Wiggins instructed and they said, "I could address council before the third reading," said Brown, explaining the reason he showed up and expected to speak before the bylaw was passed.

But when Brown went to do so, the agenda had been changed to pass the Rural Plan Bylaw earlier in the meeting.

"Why would you change the agenda?" Brown asked council when he was invited to speak.

"Most people are here to hear about the rural plan," said Councillor Deacon McLaren, adding they moved the agenda around so those people wouldn't have to sit through the whole meeting waiting for the third reading of the bylaw.

McLaren was the councillor who made the motion to change the agenda. When asked by the Record why council approved McLaren's motion, knowing it would mean Brown wouldn't have a chance to speak before the vote, Wiggins said, "Mr. McLaren has indicated on many occasions that he's the smartest person in the room. We took it for granted he had the best interests of the village in mind."

Wiggins added that even if Brown had spoken before the bylaw was approved, he still did not follow the process of putting his request in writing and delivering it to the RDPC.

"It was never in writing," said Wiggins. "We've responded in writing to his verbal requests asking that he please put it in writing."

"I think the Royal District Planning Commission had the plan all done and coloured in and they didn't want to change it," said Brown. "I'm not so worried about myself. It's done and okay. It's the way they did it [that bothers me]."

McLaren told the Record he visited Brown the day after the meeting to outline what Brown's next steps should be if he wished to pursue rezoning. McLaren said he also suggested Brown wait until after the May 12 election when a new council is in place because, "Wiggins has poisoned the present council against any further hearing of his [Brown's] concerns."

The Rural Plan Bylaw #100-08 replaces the old rural plan and sets out the standards and goals to regulate growth in an orderly fashion, said Wiggins. No one was available for comment from the RDPC.