OFFICIAL COMMUNITY PLAN REVIEW – PROJECT UPDATE: COMMUNITY GROWTH SURVEY & ENGAGEMENT UPDATE

TOWN OF VIEW ROYAL COUNCIL REPORT

TO: Council DATE: February 25, 2025 FROM: Stirling Scory, RPP, MCIP, Senior Planner MEETING DATE: March 4, 2025

OFFICIAL COMMUNITY PLAN REVIEW – PROJECT UPDATE: COMMUNITY GROWTH SURVEY & ENGAGEMENT UPDATE

RECOMMENDATION:

THAT Council approve the draft “Community Growth Survey”, attached to the Official Community Plan Review – Project Update: Community Growth Survey & Engagement Update” report, dated February 25, 2025, for publication.

ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS:

Option 1:

THAT Council does not approve the draft “Community Growth Survey”.

Staff do not recommend this option. The Community Growth Survey is an important component of the Official Community Plan (OCP) update and provides an exploratory review of existing and future growth and development in the Town. Results from the survey will inform the update of the 2011 OCP Community Development Framework, land use designations, policies, and objectives.

A significant amount of work, review and input has occurred to finalize the survey. It has undergone a comprehensive review by staff, Urban Systems and the OCP Advisory Committee. Furthermore, this survey is the focus of the upcoming in-person and virtual open houses and workshops on March 8, 12 and 13, 2025. These events have been advertised and venues are booked. Should Council not move forward with this survey, the engagement events would have to be cancelled. This would be detrimental to the process, deliverables and timelines for Phase 1 of the OCP update, which must be completed by December 31, 2025.

**Option 2: **

THAT Council provide specific revisions to the draft “Community Growth Survey”, to be incorporated into the final version of the document before publication.

A significant amount of work, review and input has occurred to finalize the survey. It has undergone a comprehensive review by staff, Urban Systems, and the OCP Advisory Committee. However, Council is welcome to provide feedback on the survey prior to publication on March 7, 2025. Should Council consider providing comments, these comments must be provided during the March 4, 2025, Council meeting, to meet the publication deadlines.

PURPOSE:

The purpose of this report is to provide Council with an opportunity to review the draft Community Growth Survey (see Attachment 1) and provide a general update on the upcoming OCP engagement events in March.

BACKGROUND:

Engagement material is being prepared for an upcoming “engagement week”, scheduled between March 8th and 15th. During this period, the Town will be holding open houses and workshops, both on-line and in-person, as well as an online survey, and pop-up events.

During this engagement on land use and housing, the existing Community Development Framework (CDF) in the 2011 OCP will be reviewed and explored through a Community Growth Survey. The CDF provides general policy direction for the Town by identifying Neighbourhood Centres, Community Corridors, and Town Centre as locations for growth and change. Review of these concepts in the survey and how they may evolve over the next 25 years will establish a solid foundation on future growth and development and inform land use designations.

A significant amount of work, review and input has occurred to finalize the survey. Staff completed the survey with input from Urban Systems, and the OCP Review Advisory Committee. The survey is scheduled to launch following the March 4, Council meeting.

ANALYSIS:

In review of and in response to the feedback provided by the OCP Review Advisory Committee, staff made the following changes to the draft Community Growth Survey:

• Revised the 2-page Land Use and Housing Backgrounder, embedded as a reference guide in the survey.
  • Revised definitions to improve understanding of concepts.
• Simplified questions and removed questions from the survey that were repetitive.
• Revised questions to improve understanding of concepts and intent.
  • Included definitions and supporting language to help reinforce understanding and concepts; and
  • Included examples in questions to help inform and educate the respondents, based on recommendation from the OCP Review Advisory Committee.
• Revised layout and formatting of questions, to improve flow and understanding of existing concepts and intent of policy (e.g., added existing heights and uses that are supported in the 2011 OCP).
• Added a short-form (i.e., select all that apply) question to allow respondents to indicate what businesses/services they would like to see added to mixed-use development.
• Added a map identifying areas of growth and development since adoption on the 2011 OCP.
• Added an open-ended question to allow respondents to indicate their preference and support (or concern) in what factors influence their decision to permit taller buildings.

A copy of the draft Community Growth Survey, as it appears on the Town’s website is attached to this report (Attachment 1).

In addition to the changes summarized above, Council may wish to note that the OCP Advisory Committee and staff had discussed whether to include examples and suggestions in the survey to help inform and explain concepts and questions. During the meeting, staff expressed concern about using examples and graphics given previous comments provided in the Town’s engagement survey last year related to “bias” and “preconceived ideas”. Staff requested clear direction from the OCP Advisory Committee on this matter, and the committee agreed that including examples/suggestions in either a written or digital (image) format, would be beneficial for respondents to answer questions. Following this discussion and direction, staff have included some written text in the questions to help respondents understand concepts and intent with questions.

Impacts and implications can be summarized as follows:

ALIGNMENT:

The recommended option aligns with the Town’s following core guiding documents as follows:

Strategic Plan:

• Enhance Liveability
  • Goal 3: Access to a broad range of housing options to meet the needs of various ages, family types and incomes.
  • Goal 4: Ensure proximity to services.
  • Goal 5: Sufficient and appropriate parks and open space.
• Sustainable Development
  • Goal 1: Managed Growth
    • OCP review to align with Housing Needs Report and Zoning Bylaw, update Development Permit Area design guidelines, and other aspects of OCP (N-025).
  • Goal 2: Increase Skilled Employment
• Community Engagement and Good Governance
  • Goal 1: Strong and active citizen participation in community engagement in Town of View Royal meetings, open houses, surveys, budget development
  • Goal 2: Strong constructive relationships with neighbouring municipalities, Songhees Nation, and Esquimalt Nation in the CRD

Official Community Plan: