OCP Background Information
In March of 2006, City Council authorized an overall review of the Official Community Plan. The reports below outline the review process as it was initially envisaged (see report dated March 2006).
- Progress
This project is now complete.
- Documents
Prior to the Community Consultation Conference and the workshops on urban containment and infill, the City published background information in the local papers to describe the issue and to invite public participation in the OCP review process.
Introduction to the OCP
Build Complete Viable Communities
Protect the Environment
Managing Urban Growth
Improving Mobility and Servicing
Demographic Growth and Change
Community Conference Summary
Urban Containment Boundary
Infill and Densification
- Details
Phase One – Consultation and Review
The OCP Review process was “kicked off” by a community consultation conference held on November 18, 2006 at Malaspina University-College. Approximately 200 people participated in the all day event that included keynote speakers and small group discussions. A summary of the conference is found in the report below. In addition, the presentations made by our keynote speakers and links to related sites are also provided.
In December 2006, Council authorized additional workshops to be held in order to explore key issues arising from the November conference in greater detail, including the workshop on Urban Containment Boundaries held on February 15 and the workshop on Infill and Intensification held on April 4.
- OCP Review Public Consultation Update – Report to Council December 2006
- Urban Containment Boundary Workshop Summary (February 2007)
- Sustainable Suburbs Presentation
- Workshop Summary
Phase Two - Policy Update / Draft Plan
In the late spring of 2007, staff and the City's consultant team took the public input received in Phase One - Consultation and Review and began to develop new OCP policies that reflected the input received. This included input not only from the conference and workshops described above but also from the City's many advisory committees such as the Social Planning Advisory Committee and the Advisory Committee on the Environment, as well as from other City staff.
The draft policy directions were made public through the publication of three “Highlighters” (linked below) in the local newspaper which focussed on the issues of sustainability, density and growth management. The City also released a discussion paper called the sustainNANAIMO Working Paper. The purpose of the working paper is to provide a summary of Phase One, and to introduce potential changes to the OCP and make decisions on policy directions prior to preparing a draft plan document.
The release of the new Draft Plan included an OCP Online Survey to allow an opportunity for everyone in Nanaimo to provide comments on the Draft Plan. A summary of the Draft Plan and copy of the survey was made available in the 2008-MAR-13 edition of the News Bulletin and at local coffee shops, grocery stores, and community facilities. The Draft Plan document was also made available at community facilities throughout the City including community information displays at Woodgrove Mall on March 29, 2008 and at Port Place on April 5, 2008.
A Community Forum at which the public was invited to provide their comments and suggestions on the draft OCP was held April 10, 2008. The comments from this Community Forum, including Comments Sheets and results from the online survey, are noted below.
In addition, the draft Plan was circulated to both internal and external agencies such as the Snuneymuxw First Nation, the Regional District of Nanaimo, and the District of Lantzville as well as senior governments prior to finalizing the draft plan document.
Phase Three – Revised OCP and Plan Adoption
Following public consultation on the draft plan OCP, results of the consultation process were incorporated into a final revised OCP. This revised document was considered by PNAC on 2008-MAY-06, and by Council on 2008-MAY-26 at which time the plan received first and second reading. A public hearing was held on 2008-JUN-19.
Following the public hearing the Regional Context Statement was submitted to the Regional District of Nanaimo. It received RDN approval on 2008-AUG-26. The new OCP was adopted on 2008-SEP-08.
- Background
In January 2008, City Council considered a report to move the UCB to City limits. This recommendation was subsequently discussed with the Regional District of Nanaimo staff and staff from the other member municipalities in the region at a staff workshop on January 25, 2008. For a variety of reasons, the other partners in the region felt that the UCB at City limits option would undermine the UCB regionally and further consideration was needed.
A special neighbourhood meeting was held on April 24, 2008 in the Jingle Pot neighbourhood to discuss the implications of proposed changes to the Urban Containment Boundary and the new Urban Reserve designation.
In February, PNAC and City Council considered a revised location for the UCB which excluded ALR lands and environmentally sensitive areas. PNAC and Council endorsed the new location of the UCB for the purposes of a public review of the revised draft plan. Copies of the various reports to Council on this issue are contained below.
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