Big White Official Community Plan Review

What is an Official Community Plan (OCP)?

An OCP is a legal document that describes the direction of future development through objectives and policies. It's a document that gives direction to the RDKB Board of Directors on how the community wants land use to happen. An OCP also helps to ensure that growth matches servicing.

There are some elements that the Province requires to be included in OCPs, which are outlined in the main piece of legislation that governs what can be in an OCP, the Local Government Act. These include the following:

1. the approximate location, amount, type and density of residential development required to meet anticipated housing needs over a period of at least 20 years;
2. the approximate location, amount and type of present and proposed commercial, industrial, institutional, agricultural, recreational and public utility land uses;
3. the approximate location and area of sand and gravel deposits that are suitable for future sand and gravel extraction;
4. restrictions on the use of land that is subject to hazardous conditions or that is environmentally sensitive to development;
5. the approximate location and phasing of any major road, sewer and water systems;
6. the approximate location and type of present and proposed public facilities, including schools, parks and waste treatment and disposal sites;
7. other matters that may, in respect of any plan, be required or authorized by the minister.
8. must include housing policies of the local government respecting affordable housing, rental housing and special needs housing.

An OCP can outline a number of other objectives for how a community can develop. These can include policies relating to social needs, social well-being and social development, as well as policies relating to the preservation, protection, restoration and enhancement of the natural environment, its ecosystems and biological diversity.

Why is it being reviewed?

OCPs should be reviewed to keep them relevant to community interests and needs. Since the current OCP was adopted in 2001, it is overdue for review.

Also a review of the Resort Master Plan is underway. An OCP and Zoning review are a requirement of the Resort Master planning process to provide direction for how new lands in the Controlled Recreation Area.

There are a bunch of processes going on. How do they relate?

There are a few processes that are happening at the moment.

1) As mentioned above, a Resort Master Plan review has been started by Big White Ski Resorts with a proposed expansion of the Controlled Recreation Area (CRA). This is a process that is administered by the Mountain Resorts Branch, which is a part of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sports. There is a public engagement component to the Master Plan review.

2) The Official Community Plan (OCP) review is a local government process that is administered by the RDKB Planning and Development department. The OCP review also requires public engagement. Public engagement for the OCP review and the Master Plan review may happen concurrently.

3) The RDKB Planning and Development department continually receives applications for development at Big White. Some applications require notification of neighbours through posting a sign and sending letters to neighbouring properties within 60 m of the parcel boundary. These applications continue to be processed while the other reviews are ongoing. These may include public hearings at Big White. Applications will continue to be processed following the guidelines in the current OCP until the reviewed one is adopted as a bylaw by the RDKB Board of Directors at the end of the review process.

How can I learn more or get involved?

There are a few ways to get more information and be involved in reviewing the OCP:

1) Attend an Open House, workshop or other in person opportunity;

2) Connect with a Steering Committee member;

3) Connect with RDKB Planning Staff (see Who's Listening for contact info) or your local government representative, Sharen Gibbs, Director for Electoral Area E/West Boundary.

4) Visit this site. Information will regularly be added to this site including materials for the Steering Committee meeting and the minutes from those meetings.

5) Sign up to receive newsletters! Ask Planning Staff for more details.