I believe that the people who buy land on Cortes do so because they appreciate the beauty and the greater tranquility that remoteness offers.
Most have a sense of stewardship and an understanding that they are part of the ecology of Cortes island.
Even when they seek solitude they may hope that their neighbours will be caring respectful and even interesting.
Most big city immigrants to Cortes quickly get to realise that we are not simple country cousins but a highly skilled, aware, educated and self reliant population
The vast majority of new-comers justly treat their property like it is their castle, but they also understand that their neighbourhood and Cortes island is not their domain.

Very rarely do we get someone who believes their neighbourhood is their domain to disturb as they see fit without consideration for their neighbours and the rest of the island.
When unlimited funds are available to radically transform land, with no consideration for its ecological value to the neighbourhood and the island in general, we are transported to an Alberta oilfield, where exploitive greed overwhelms every other value and consideration.

A large scale illegal industrial commercial development is now taking place at the end of Sawmill road, I say illegal because no rezoning application from residential to commercial was applied for and granted, before the development was started.
After complaints from neighbours, because the system is complaint driven, a by-law officer looked at the property and pointed out that a rezoning application had to be applied for, to allow for commercial use.
The development has been accelerated to confront the SRD with a fait-accomplit.

There was never any accounting whatsoever to the neighbours about the constant noise and the impact that the land transformations had on neighbouring properties
When asked about all the activity the developer/owner replied “its my property, I do what I want”

The developer has to apply for rezoning or he will be in contravention of the Cortes by-laws, the community may be asked to voice their opinion on the rezoning.
Considering the damage already done and the callous attitude of the developer towards this community I am convinced that this commercial operation can only do further damage to the Sawmill Road neighbourhood.
Please contact John Gelacio, By- law Enforcement Officer. 250-203-1976 or jgelaciosrd.ca express your opposition to this development and demand that the SRD enforces its by-laws.

Gabriel Dinim