The island

Trust committee discusses housing policy and island planning

Denman trustees heard public comments on housing, foreign ownership and a proposed winery at their March 17 meeting.

The Denman Firestarter · reporting 2026-03-19 · compiled 2026-10-01

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The Denman Island Local Trust Committee heard questions and comments on housing, foreign ownership and a proposed winery at its March 17 meeting, according to adopted minutes.^[1]

A member of the public asked whether legislation restricting foreign buyers applied to Denman and urged trustees and Trust Council to advocate on foreign ownership. The chair suggested drafting a letter to Trust Council to put the issue on its agenda; a planner said the ban applied only to metropolitan areas.^[1]

Asked about a proposed winery at the island’s northern end, a planner said the applicant had applied for a retroactive development permit and had not applied for a development variance permit. The planner said the Board of Variance expressions-of-interest call was unrelated to the application and followed the expiry of the board’s terms.^[1]

The minutes also record that the committee added a subdivision discussion to its agenda by general consent.^[1]

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