Electoral Area A Official Community Plan Review

The review of the Electoral Area A Official Community Plan (OCP) is beginning and we want to hear from you!

We are in early days of the review. More will be posted to this site as the review progresses.

What has happened already?

A steering committee of local community members was appointed by the Board of Directors and has held its first meeting.

Meeting materials and notes for this first meeting will be available shortly in the documents section.

What is an Official Community Plan (OCP)?

An OCP is a legal document (a bylaw) that describes the direction of development for an area. OCPs include community goals, objectives and policies that are implemented using land use designations.

Why is an OCP Important?

OCPs provide a long-term vision of a community. The objectives and policies laid out in the OCP guide decisions on planning and land use management.

An OCP helps to coordinate growth and match it to available servicing. It outlines land use designations to say what policies influence growth in different areas.

Zoning Bylaws, which regulate land use, are enacted following direction from OCPs.

Why review an OCP?

OCPs are reviewed to keep them current and relevant. An OCP should reflect changes in a community and how a community wishes to develop over time. A review also provides an opportunity to revisit policies that are no longer working for the community.

The current OCP for Electoral Area A was adopted in 2011.

Who approves a reviewed OCP?

OCPs are approved and enacted by the RDKB Board of Directors (the Board).

What is included in an OCP?

OCPs must include certain plan statements and map designations and may also contain optional policy statements and development permit area designations.

Requirements are laid out in the Local Government Act, in Part 14.

Required OCP elements are:

• Residential development required to meet anticipated housing needs over a period of at least twenty years
• Present and proposed commercial, industrial, institutional, agricultural, recreational and public utility land uses
• Present and proposed public facilities, including schools, parks and waste treatment and disposal sites
• Sand and gravel deposits that are suitable for future sand and gravel extraction
• Phasing of any major road, sewer and water systems
• Restrictions on the use of land that is subject to hazardous conditions or that is environmentally sensitive to development
• Housing policies for affordable housing, rental housing and special needs housing
• Targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and policies and actions of the local government proposed to achieve those targets