COUNCIL REPORT: OFFICIAL COMMUNITY PLAN REVIEW, BUSINESS MIXER WORKSHOP – WHAT WE HEARD REPORT

OFFICIAL COMMUNITY PLAN REVIEW, BUSINESS MIXER WORKSHOP – WHAT WE HEARD REPORT

RECOMMENDATION:

THAT the Senior Planner’s March 25, 2025, report titled “Official Community Plan Review, Business Mixer Workshop – What We Heard Report” be received.

PURPOSE:

This report is to present Council with a summary of “what we heard” from the Town’s Official Community Plan Business Mixer held March 6, 2025.

BACKGROUND:

This engagement process was held on Thursday, March 6, 2025 at the Victoria Scottish Community Centre in View Royal between 5:00 and 7:00 pm. The event was open to all local businesses to encourage participation in the Official Community Plan (OCP) review and update process.

During the event, staff hosted a workshop that participants could join and share feedback. Participants were asked the following three questions:

1. What is View Royal doing well that helps the growth of your business?
2. Are there any challenges, specific to View Royal, that are affecting your business?
3. What can be improved in View Royal to facilitate economic growth?

The responses from the workshop will inform the update to the Town’s Vision, as part of the Phase 1 OCP review and update.

ANALYSIS:

Approximately 50 people registered for the event, and approximately 36 participants attended the business mixer. Below is a summary of the themes identified for the three questions explored during the workshop.

Overall Themes

Question 1: What is View Royal doing well that helps the growth of your business?

• More growth = more business opportunities;
• Holding business mixer to help business owners meet, talk, and network with other business owners;
• Town staff, Council and community are supportive of local businesses; and
• Applying for a business license is easy.

Question 2: Are there any challenges, specific to View Royal, that are affecting your business?

• Traffic congestion;
• Lack of affordable commercial space available;
• Confusing home occupation regulations; and
• Slow processing times for applications (development and business licensing).

Question 3: What can be improved in View Royal to facilitate economic growth?

• Improving transportation connections throughout View Royal;
• Providing more parking for customers and clients;
• Permitting more mixed-use developments (commercial/residential); and
• Have a community space for public events.

A comprehensive list of all comments received during this workshop are available as an attachment to this report (see Attachment 1).

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 Livability Goal 5: Build strong relationships and engagement through community events and celebrations

Sustainable Development Goal 1: Managed growth Goal 3: Business retention/attraction Goal 4: Strategic investment in public realm

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 3: Respectful, constructive Council relationships

Official Community Plan:

Policy LU1.1 Neighbourhood Centres Create a network of neighbourhood-serving, mixed-use centres. Encourage the majority of new and infill residential and commercial growth into these areas to create compact, walkable and cycling-friendly activity hubs.

Policy LU4.7 Public Gathering Places and Outdoor Markets Encourage the development of public gathering places such parks, plazas and landscaped seating areas near activity-generating uses and mixed-use centres.

Policy ED1.1 Mixed-Use Mixing commercial and residential uses is encouraged in designated neighbourhood centres and arterial commercial development areas to make efficient use of land and to bring residents, jobs and services into close proximity.

Policy ED1.2 Existing Businesses Support existing businesses in the community, especially those that provide jobs suited to the resident labour force, and are located in designated mixed-use centres and community corridors.

Policy ED1.3 New Businesses Pursue opportunities to attract new businesses to View Royal that meet the community’s economic development and land use goals and objectives.

Policy ED2.1 Daily Shopping Encourage the location of new businesses in existing commercial and mixed-use centres. Business uses in mixed-use centres should support the development of walkable, people-friendly places.

Policy ED3.1 Local Employees Ensure an adequate match between housing stock and the housing needs of local employees, with the intent to reduce long commutes and create a balanced and inclusive community.

Policy ED4.1 Home-Based Businesses Support home-based businesses that are compatible with residential uses throughout View Royal as a means of providing alternative employment options, reducing commutes and providing more services locally.

Other Policy Documents: Land Economics Study (2021)

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION GOAL:

The desired level of public participation for the recommended option is:

[X] Inform [ ] Consult [ ] Involve [ ] Collaborate [ ] Empower [ ] N/A

TIME CRITICAL:

The review of the themes and business mixer workshop feedback is not time sensitive but does inform Council of the community’s sentiment and feedback during the OCP review and update process. Staff will be presenting a draft vision for Council’s consideration in the Spring.

CONCURRENCE:

REVIEWED BY:

ATTACHMENTS:

1. Official Community Plan What We Heard Report – Business Mixer, March 2025