PRESENTATION: First Draft Official Community Plan Review

Purpose

Introduce the first draft of the Official Community Plan to Council for review and feedback.

Background

• In the process of completing the sixth and final round of engagement
  • Draft Official Community Plan Survey (March 20 to April 15)
  • Welcomes feedback from Council, the Advisory Committee, First Nations, community stakeholders, and the public to be involved

Documents

• OCP Summary Report (Attachment 1)
• First Draft Official Community Plan (Attachment 2)
• Western Gateway Special Council Meeting Facilitator Summary (Attachment 3)

Objectives and Outcomes

• Provide an overview of how we got here and a summary of our engagement
• Identify the key shifts and major changes in the first draft Plan
• Hear feedback from Council
• Provide additional technical details on the draft as required
• Develop a What We Heard Report

What we hope to hear from Council

1. What in the draft plan do you feel is supportable?
2. What in the draft plan do you feel is concerning or provides some hesitation?
3. What in the draft plan do you feel needs more explanation or you are unsure of?

*Should Council desire specific changes, these must be through a motion.

How did we get here?

Vision and Guiding Principles (Jan. 24 – Mar 6, 2025)

• Survey, Pop-ups and a Workshop

How We Grow (March 7 – April 4, 2025)

• Survey, Pop-ups and Open Houses

Vision Statement and Goals (July 18 – Sept. 7)

• Survey & Pop-ups

Western Gateway Corridor (Oct. 7 – Nov. 21, 2025)

• Survey, Workshops, and Open Houses

Policy Review (Nov. 8 – Nov. 30, 2025)

• Survey & Open Houses

First Draft Review (March 20 – April 15, 2026)

• Survey

Major Shifts and Changes

General Overview

• Quick links
• References to legislation, programs, and organizations
• Updated glossary

Vision Statement and Goals

• New vision statement
• 12 news goals with clear headings and descriptions

Community Context

• Updated the community profile and developed growth projections

Reconciliation

• Added history and context of Xʷsepsəm and Songhees Nations
• New policies focus on relationship building, collaboration, and action

Policies

• Revisions align with consultation feedback, best practices, and changing legislation
• Organized and restructured policies by focus area
• Consolidated and revised objectives for each policy chapter

Implementation

• Established short-, medium-, and long-term actions with relevant policies and supporting departments and agencies
• Updated the Regional Context Statement to align with CRD Community Growth Strategy

Land Use

• Two new land use designations:
  • Western Gateway Employment District Corridor and Urban Reserve
• Five new policy sections to support land use designations:
  • Hospital TOA, Neighbourhood Village, Small-Scale, Multi-Unit Housing, and Western Gateway Employment District Corridor, and Urban Reserve
• Two new mobility hubs: Atkins and Hospital
• Added a “context” section for each land use designation
• Removed the Community Development Framework (Town Centre, Neighbourhood Centres, and Community Corridors) and individual neighbourhood policies
• Created new building massing graphics to detail potential development with heights and densities

Mobility Hubs

Corridors

Overall OCP Review & Discussion

1. What stands out to you in the first draft?
2. Is there anything that surprised you or raises questions for you?
3. Was there anything in the draft that you have concerns with?

Focused Areas of Discussion

1. Land Use
2. Housing
3. Transportation and Mobility
4. Community Infrastructure
5. Economic Development
6. Natural Environment
7. Climate Action and Sustainability
8. Parks, Trails, and Recreation
9. Community Well-being
10. Reconciliation

Land Use

1. Do the objectives and policies in the Land Use chapter align with your future vision of View Royal?
2. What possible refinements are necessary to improve alignment?

Housing

1. Do the objectives and policies in the Housing chapter align with your future vision of View Royal?
2. What possible refinements are necessary to improve alignment?

Transportation & Mobility

1. Do the objectives and policies in the Transportation & Mobility chapter align with your future vision of View Royal?
2. What possible refinements are necessary to improve alignment?

Community Infrastructure

1. Do the objectives and policies in the Community Infrastructure chapter align with your future vision of View Royal?
2. What possible refinements are necessary to improve alignment?

Economic Development

1. Do the objectives and policies in the Economic Development chapter align with your future vision of View Royal?
2. What possible refinements are necessary to improve alignment?

Natural Environment

1. Do the objectives and policies in the Natural Environment chapter align with your future vision of View Royal?
2. What possible refinements are necessary to improve alignment?

Climate Action & Sustainability

1. Do the objectives and policies in the Climate Action & Sustainability chapter align with your future vision of View Royal?
2. What possible refinements are necessary to improve alignment?

Parks, Trails, & Recreation

1. Do the objectives and policies in the Parks, Trails, & Recreation chapter align with your future vision of View Royal?
2. What possible refinements are necessary to improve alignment?

Community Well-Being

1. Do the objectives and policies in the Community Well-Being chapter align with your future vision of View Royal?
2. What possible refinements are necessary to improve alignment?

Reconciliation

1. Do the objectives and policies in the Reconciliation chapter align with your future vision of View Royal?
2. What possible refinements are necessary to improve alignment?

Closing Discussion and Feedback

1. Are there any final thoughts, comments, or considerations that Council would like to discuss?
2. Did the project team answer all your questions?

*Should Council desire specific changes, these must be through a motion.

Recommendation

THAT Council provide amendments, if any, to the first draft of the Official Community Plan;

AND THAT the final draft of the Official Community Plan be updated to incorporate Council’s amendments prior to first reading of the bylaw.

Alternative Option

THAT Council authorize that the first draft Official Community Plan be prepared for first reading.