The North Pender Island Local Trust Committee (LTC) is reviewing Development Permit Area 7 (DPA 7) – Raptor Nests as part of its ongoing work to protect sensitive ecosystems and biodiversity. DPA 7, established under the North Pender Island Official Community Plan No. 171 (OCP), is intended to preserve and protect raptor and heron nesting trees and their associated habitats.
Under DPA regulations, a development permit is required before significant development or land alteration can occur within designated areas. The goal is to ensure that land use decisions are made with environmental protection in mind.
Why the Review is Happening
The DPA 7 regulations and mapping were first introduced in 2007. Since then, there have been no updates to the mapping or guidelines. The LTC has initiated this review to ensure that the protections reflect current ecological conditions, Indigenous knowledge, and updated best practices.
As part of the review, the LTC retained a professional biologist to identify existing and potential new nesting trees. The biologist’s report has proposed several new nesting sites for consideration, as well as recommendations for potential amendments to DPA 7 guidelines. These include updates based on provincial best practices—such as increasing buffer distances from nesting trees to ensure better habitat protection.
Fieldwork conducted in the 2025 season has resulted in updates to the draft maps first released in October 2024. More information on the project, including the project charter and staff reports, a draft bylaw, and the professional report and mapping, is located here.
We Want Your Input
The LTC is inviting community feedback on the proposed changes to DPA 7, including the revised mapping and recommended guideline updates. Your input will help guide next steps in this important environmental protection initiative.
Please submit feedback via email by September 12, 2025 so it may be considered at the LTC’s upcoming meeting on October 3, 2025.
Email: southinfo@islandstrust.bc.ca | Phone: (778) 679-5185
Planning staff may be available to conduct site visits if needed to help clarify nesting site and conditions.