OFFICIAL COMMUNITY PLAN REVIEW AND UPDATE – REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL DRAFT TERMS OF REFERENCE

OFFICIAL COMMUNITY PLAN REVIEW AND UPDATE – REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL DRAFT TERMS OF REFERENCE

RECOMMENDATION:

THAT the report dated October 8, 2024, from the Director of Development Services titled “Official Community Plan Review and Update – Request for Proposal Draft Terms of Reference” be received for information.

ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS:

There are no alternative options with this report.

PURPOSE:

The purpose of this report is to present Council with the draft terms of reference for the Request for Proposal for the Official Community Plan Review and Update, a non-core project (N-025) identified in the 2024 – 2028 Financial Plan.

BACKGROUND:

At the Committee of the Whole meeting on October 8, 2024, the Committee considered and provided feedback on the draft project scope and Communications and Engagement Strategy for the Official Community Plan (OCP) review and update project. The Committee passed the following three motions:

COW-46-24

THAT the Committee recommend to Council that safety and wellness be added to the Request for Proposal key focus areas.

COW-47-24

THAT the Committee recommend to Council that arts, culture and heritage be added to the Request for Proposal key focus areas.

COW-48-24

THAT the Committee recommend that Council:

1. endorse the following ten key focus areas in the Official Community Plan review and update project and include in the Request for Proposal: Community Profile, Vision and Guiding Principles; Land Use Designations and Special Planning Areas; Housing; Transportation and Mobility; Climate Action, Adaptation and Resiliency; Environmental Preservation and Enhancement; Growth Management Considerations; Reconciliation; Development Permits and Design Guidelines; and Regional Growth Statement, Implementation and Monitoring;
2. approve the proposed three-phase project timeline and associated project scope with a project start date of January 2025 and an anticipated completion date of September 2026 (18 months) for Phase 1 and Phase 2; and
3. approve the draft Terms of Reference for the Official Community Plan Advisory Committee.

Staff have added “Safety and Wellness” and “Arts, Culture and Heritage” as additional focus areas to the draft Terms of Reference for the Request for Proposal (RFP) for Council’s consideration.

ANALYSIS:

Following Committee of the Whole, staff finalized the draft Terms of Reference for the RFP for the OCP review and update. A copy of the draft Terms of Reference is attached to this report for Council’s consideration.

Table 1 below includes important dates associated with the proposed RFP timeline.

Table 1. Proposed Project Schedule

Impacts and implications can be summarized as follows:

Community Impact:

The OCP contains a series of goals, objectives, policies and implementing actions that guide the way View Royal will grow and change over time and establishes priorities for decision-making. This OCP review and update will reflect community demographics and needs, and guide sustainable growth over the next decades.

Financial Implication:

In the 2024 – 2028 Financial Plan, Council budgeted up to $400,000 to complete the OCP project over 2024 and 2025. Due to the Town’s desire for a robust OCP engagement strategy and comprehensive review, the project will be carried out in three phases with an updated completion date of September 2026 for Phase 1 and 2 of the project. The revised project timeline and budget would need to be reflected in the 2025-2029 Financial Plan, based on Council’s award of the contract in December 2024 that provides for the initiation of the project in January 2025, prior to final adoption of the 2025-2029 Financial Plan.

Inter-governmental Relations Impact:

Staff will engage with the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations, other government agencies and organizations, and neighbouring municipalities throughout the OCP review and update.

ALIGNMENT:

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

Strategic Plan:

Strategic Priority B: Sustainable Development

Goal 1 Managed Growth
1(a): Official Community Plan (OCP) review to align with Housing Needs Report and Zoning Bylaw, update Development Permit Area design guidelines, and other aspects of the OCP.

Goal 2 Business Retention/Attraction
2(b): Hold a visioning session for the employment corridor (“Western Gateway”).

Official Community Plan:

The Town is authorized and mandated to create an OCP through legislation contained in the LGA. The OCP provides guidance about the future use of land and municipal services. As circumstances warrant, the Town Council may amend the Plan.

Other Policy Documents: N/A

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION GOAL:

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

☐ Inform
☒ Consult
☐ Involve
☐ Collaborate
☐ Empower
☐ N/A

TIME CRITICAL:

To ensure that a consultant is selected by the end of this year and the project can begin in January 2025, staff would like to post the RFP on the BC Bid Portal in mid-October.

CONCURRENCE:

REVIEWED BY:

ATTACHMENTS:

Attachment 1: OCP RFP Draft Terms of Reference