ONCE UPON A TIME IN GIBSONS The Town of Gibsons Heritage ...

Establishment of a Heritage Inventory and Heritage Register are important steps in the Town’s
vision to protect the fragile sites of historic, cultural and ecological importance in our community.
Further steps which may be considered are listed below.
Heritage Designation By-laws
At present, the Town Planner is also reviewing the need for a Heritage Designation By-law, as a
tool to formalize the protection of heritage places through an agreement between the owner and
the Town. Protected sites would be identified in the By-law with a specific Heritage Zoning tied
to that property’s title, and eligibility for property tax relief (Council must adopt an annual by-law
to allow such tax relief to continue and to set the rate), and eligibility for equivalencies under
building code requirements as applicable. Non-monetary support such as relations to zoning,
technical assistance from staff, commemorative or information plaques, would be negotiated on a
person-by-person basis and tailored to the circumstances of each site.
The Heritage Designation By-law would also ensure maintenance of a site’s integrity and
character by requiring a Heritage Alteration Permit be acquired prior to any structural restoration
or repair. This would allow the Planning Department some oversight of the project, in order to
advise on preservation of unique elements.
A Heritage Designation By-law may also make provision for a grant through a formalized
Building Preservation Program (to be enacted with the initial by-law or added at a future date).
Through this program, the Town may grant up to 50% of the cost of the work, up to a given sum
(e.g. $3,000) in any given calendar year for up to a specified number of years (usually, 3 years.)
Applicants would be required to apply for assistance through the Advisory Heritage Commission,
which would review and recommend approval to the Town Planner.
A Voluntary Heritage Protection program may be an element of the by-law. This would be a tool
for the property owner and the Town to come to an agreement on how a heritage site may be
maintained through enacting special zoning variances to accommodate continued or adaptive uses
while giving flexibility for sensitive and profitable development. It should be noted that Heritage
Conservation Covenants in the Land Title Act support a property owner and the Town
establishing a legal agreement concerning the conservation of a heritage resource attached to the
title of the property.
With the Town of Gibsons attracting the notice of developers, a Heritage Designation By-law
could provide the Town Planner with an important tool through a Temporary Protection
Designation. Applied to a structure not afforded official protection but still of significance to the
community, this Designation would give the Town and the property owner a specific window of
opportunity to discuss alternatives which might allow a heritage site to be preserved.
A Heritage Designation By-law could also enshrine a formal Interpretive Plaque Program,
enabling the Town to develop a systematic and comprehensive “storytelling” experience to
complement its heritage preservation efforts. Such plaques (similar to the one placed near George
Gibson’s original landing spot along the Seawall) could celebrate marine heritage, relate short
biographies of local personalities, identify heritage trees and explain their significance, and mark
other locations of historical note.
6 Gibsons Heritage Inventory and Register