Overview
RURAL PLANNING CASE STUDY
The Rural Planning Case Study centres on the Bulkley Valley in the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako (RDBN). The case describes the historical development of the area as influenced by provincial resource development priorities. The application is about a proposal for a driveway to access a rural subdivision.
Case. ‘Interface’ Crown Lands in the Bulkley Valley
The Bulkley Valley case introduces learners to unique challenges of rural planning where Crown lands are highly valued for both their natural resources and recreational amenities. The Bulkley Valley has been shaped through three eras of provincial resource policy. From a land use perspective, one outcome is a landscape of overlapping jurisdictions with existing and potential conflicts. The case has specific regard for what is known as “interface” planning, which occurs in Crown lands immediately adjacent to townsites. These interface areas serve multiple interests and multiple uses arising from natural resource development, rural residential, recreational access, and Indigenous rights and title. The Bulkley Valley is located within the traditional territory of the Wet’suwet’en. Learners are encouraged to discuss ways in which rural land use planning can be improved.
Application. Access to Rural Subdivision
The Smithers Community Forest Society (SCFS) appealed the province’s decision to permit a private land owner to access their property through an ecologically-sensitive area. The learner has been hired as a planning consultant by the SCFS to help the group to develop the strongest position to present at the hearing. The desired outcome is either refusing the application or finding an alternative route that can be supported by the Minister.
Learning modules that support this case study
-
Regional Land Use Planning
This module explains regional land use planning practice within and by the province of BC. The term “regional” describes land use planning at a large geographic scale. The need for land use planning extends far beyond urban boundaries into the remote regions where provincial parks, forestry, and mining take place. These areas also overlap almost entirely with the traditional territories of Indigenous peoples. In BC, 94% of the land base is public Crown land. Over 90% of these public lands are covered by regional land use plans.
-
Approving Officers
When someone subdivides land, they are usually creating new lots from one or more parcels of land; that is, they are subdividing one parcel into multiple lots. All subdivisions in BC must be approved by an Approving Officer (AO). This module subdivision and the application and the approval process in rural areas.
-
Access to Rural Subdivision: Legal Options
The rural planning case about access to a rural subdivision raises questions about options for legal recourse that may be available to people and organisations that oppose this particular decision. This module lays out some of these options in very general terms.
-
Coastal GasLink Pipeline Conflict
The conflict between the Wet’suwet’en Nation and the Coastal GasLink pipeline has attracted national attention. This module provides a general description of the situation and highlights major sources of tension between Indigenous rights to govern land, government policies and priorities (e.g., environment versus economic development), corporate interests, and police. Content includes a description of the pipeline and of different perspectives of the pipeline, including TC Energy, Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chiefs, and First Nations of the Wet’suwet’en.
-
Indigenous Title and Rights
This module explains the difference between Indigenous title and rights to land. Provides a summary of important Supreme Court decisions that recognise Indigenous title and rights to land.
Feedback/Errata