UBC has announced that they will not participate in a working group with Metro Vancouver to discuss land use on campus.

The working group would include representatives from major stakeholders on campus, including the University Neighbourhoods Association (UNA), AMS, UBC Properties Trust, Musqueam Band, the City of Vancouver and the Wreck Beach Preservation Society. The working group is a follow-up to Metro Vancouver’s proposal to impose zoning guidelines on campus.

“We have long accepted Metro Vancouver’s planning control over our residential neighbourhoods, but UBC’s autonomy over its academic lands is a key principal that any university community is obligated to vigorously defend,” UBC President Stephen Toope said.

AMS President Blake Frederick told the Electoral Area A board at their November 20 meeting that the AMS will be participating in the working group, and that the university is employing “a bullying tactic to prevent the process from going forward at all.”

“We strongly believe that regulatory measures need to be enacted,” said Frederick. “Our society does not support the intimidation tactics being employed by UBC in an effort to prevent a free and open process and discussion on the process of land use designation.”

Frederick added that the AMS is worried that student voices will be drowned out because students currently only have one representative on the working group.

Mike Feeley, chair of the UNA, told the Electoral Area A board that they want to maintain the current governance structure within the UNA. “We don’t see any problem at all, so we’re puzzled as to why…there is a need for zoning changes in our neighbourhoods,” he said. “We really want to retain that local control.” He added that the UNA does not want to participate in the working group under its current conditions.

Charles Menzies, representing University Town, told the board that the bylaw process should be suspended.

“I do not believe that the Metro Vancouver board has the moral authority to act like our democratically elected government,” Menzies said, calling it a “political game being played by politicians being elected outside UBC.”

Johnny Carline, commissioner and CAO of Metro Vancouver, explained to those present that Metro Vancouver wishes to adopt a zoning bylaw because the Official Community Plan (OCP), the agreement between UBC and Metro Vancouver that outlines land use designation on campus, is only a guide unless it is accompanied with a bylaw.

“There have been past issues arising where third parties have come forward and said ‘we object,’ to put something forward,” Carline said, adding that it is currently unclear as to where jurisdiction lies in making decisions about land use on campus.

Metro Vancouver and UBC will meet to discuss the issue at their joint committee meeting on Wednesday, November 25.