Official Community Plan Review on agenda for Mon, Aug 15 Regular Meeting of Council

The agenda for the Regular Meeting of Council on Monday, August 15 at 7:00 pm has been posted at northsaanich.ca/council-meetings.

Among other agenda items, North Saanich Council will discuss the Official Community Plan (OCP) review at this meeting; specifically, the Phase 3 Engagement Summary & Recommendations Report.

The Report documents the robust communications and engagement activities the Project Team undertook to execute the deliverables identified in the Phase 3 communications and engagement plan (endorsed by Council on March 21, 2022) for the OCP.

The Report describes details of public engagement in Phase 3, including what the Project Team did, who we heard from, what we heard through engagement activities, and how the feedback was used to shape the recommendations on how to proceed with drafting the OCP.

Additionally, the Report summarizes the public’s satisfaction levels with the engagement process and identifies the overarching shared values heard at all engagement activities.

Finally, the Report makes 30 separate recommendations in relation to the vision, goals, six OCP themes (marine and land based natural environment, agriculture and food systems, climate action, healthy communities, housing and affordability, and jobs and the local economy), and the key features of the land use scenarios. The recommendations seek to address the feedback received from the public in this phase of engagement, including technical planning analysis.

The Staff Report attached to this agenda item provides North Saanich Council with information, analysis, and recommendations regarding the Engagement Summary & Recommendations Report—including recommendations and proposed approach for developing the draft OCP.

The Staff Report provides Council with six different options as possible pathways after reviewing the Phase 3 Engagement Summary & Recommendations report, including to receive and endorse the report and to direct staff to develop the draft OCP.

If Council chooses this path, the draft OCP would be presented to Council in early 2023, and would mark the end of Phase 3 of the 5-phase OCP review workplan.

The meeting agenda also identifies the various ways you can participate at this meeting (and other Council meetings).

To learn more about the OCP Review, and to subscribe to project updates, visit connectnorthsaanich.ca/ocp.