Sechelt Official Community Plan (OCP) Review 2009

The District of Sechelt is reviewing and revising the current Official Community Plan (OCP).  The OCP provides a general statement of policies and objectives to guide future development and land use in Sechelt.  Every 5-10 years OCP's are reviewed to consider changes in the community such as population growth, housing trends and economic development needs. The current OCP was prepared in 1992-94 and adopted in 1995.  The OCP was updated in 2003 to reorganize the plan and consolidate several neighbourhood plans into the OCP, but no policy changes were made at that time.  While much of the current OCP remains valid, some portions of the OCP may need to be changed or strengthened to reflect current growth trends and community goals. This OCP update process is designed to identify these areas.
Community involvement is a key component of the OCP review to assist in identifying the issues facing the community, and to ensure the OCP reflects the community’s ideas and values.  The opportunities for public involvement are described below.

The Vision Plan

Council completed a comprehensive Vision Plan process in 2007, involving hundreds of community residents, design charettes and community surveys, resulting in a plan that describes in words and images how the community might evolve, look and be different and better 20 to 25 years from now. The Vision Plan was endorsed by Council on September 19th, 2007 and the 2009 OCP is intended to incorporate many of the strategies and recommendations of the Vision Plan.

The ideas and responses of residents obtained during the Vision Plan process also provide an important source of community ideas, issues and values for the OCP review. Other actions underway to implement the Vision Plan concepts and principles are described here.

Planning Process and Timeline

The OCP Review process began in late summer 2008.  The OCP Advisory Committee was established and started meeting to review the current plan and OCP issues.  Due to the municipal election in November 2008, the OCP review did not move into the public process until early 2009, beginning with a number of “workshops” with the new Council on OCP issues and meetings with the neighbourhood Community Associations/Ratepayers Associations to discuss current Neighbourhood Plan issues. 

The general timelines for the OCP review are as follows:

Who is Involved in the OCP Review

The main groups involved in preparing the new OCP are:

• The District staff - the Planning Department is leading the OCP process with input from all other departments including Engineering & Public Works, Parks, Administration and Finance.
• District Council provides direction, input to draft policies, and must adopt the final OCP as a municipal bylaw.
• The OCP Advisory Committee is a group of community volunteers who guide the OCP policies and provide feedback throughout the process. 
• The public/residents of Sechelt are key participants in the OCP process, providing their ideas, concerns and thoughts on draft policies to help shape the final OCP document.
• Special input is provided by stakeholders groups, including the Neighbourhood/Ratepayers Associations of Sechelt, and other representatives such as the Sechelt Nation, business/industry representatives and transportation agencies (Ministry of Transportation, BC Transit etc.). 
• Formal input from other referral agencies such as provincial ministries, federal departments and adjacent local governments will be sought at the draft and final OCP stages.
• The planning consultant, Susan Stratis of Envision Planning facilitates the OCP review process, drafts the OCP policies, analysis and background information.  Specialized input on transportation issues is provided by sub-consultant Adrian Witte of Bunt Consultants.

The OCP Advisory Committee

The District of Sechelt established an OCP Advisory Committee that works with the Planning Consultant and District staff to identify planning issues, review current policies and provide early direction on the key issues.  The Committee members bring a range of different perspectives and knowledge of community issues to the OCP process.  Members are:

1. One representative from each Community Association:

• Davis Bay/Wilson Creek/Selma Park
• Downtown Village
• East Porpoise Bay
• Sandy Hook/Tuwanek
• West Porpoise Bay
• West Sechelt

2. One representative from:
• Sechelt Downtown Business Association
• Sechelt development/builders
• Vision Plan Committee
    
3. Community/Public at large
• 2 representatives

How Can I Be Involved in the OCP Review?

Several Open Houses are planned during the OCP Review to obtain feedback from community residents.  Once ready, the draft OCP will be posted online and be made available through the District Hall to allow the public to read the full document. 

Surveys to obtain comments on specific issues will be distributed at each Open House, and results of the surveys will be posted on this website.

The first Open House was held on April 6th, 2009.  A copy of the presentation and display boards from that Open House are listed below.  Future Open Houses and public meetings will be advertised on this website and the “Municipal Memo” in the Coast Reporter. 

Public Input Received on March 2010 Draft OCP

View public OCP input using the following PDF documents.

• Comments 1
• Comments 2
• Comments 3
• Comments 4
• Comments 5

March 2010 Draft OCP Downloads

Background Information

Please click on the links below for additional background information related to the OCP Review:

• The current Official Community Planand the Neighbourhood Planscan be viewed at these links.
• A neighbourhood plan for the Sandy Hook/Tuwanek/Tillicum Bay communities is being prepared concurrently with the overall OCP review.  To view the draft plan and review other information, click on the link.

• The Vision Plan and current implementation actions are discussed at these links.
• Open House #1 (April 6, 2009) PowerPoint presentation and display boards with background information and questions on key issues.
• A series of brief discussion papers related to specific topics were prepared for use by the OCP Advisory Committee and Council workshops to review issues and discuss preliminary policy directions.  Topics covered include the following;
• Growth and Demographic Trends
• Growth Management; Urban Containment Boundary
• Commercial and Industrial Land Use
• Environmental Protection
• Infrastructure Needs
• Transportation Issues and Background report (prepared by Bunt consultants)   Also, the previous 1998 CTS Road Network Plan can be viewed here (Read entire document).
    
1. Discussion Papers #1 and 2 - Demographic trends, Growth Management, Urban Containment
2. Discussion Paper #3 - Sewer Planning, Package Treatment plants
3. Discussion Papers #4, 5 - Resort Development, Commercial and Industrial lands Feb.11 2006
4. Discussion Paper #6 - The Downtown
5. Discussion Papers #7, 8 - Environmental Protection, Marine Shoreline
6. Discussion Papers 9-10 Parks, Trails and Open Space; Road Network Plan

More Information?

All residents are encouraged to provide comments and ideas during the OCP process.  For further information, please contact Ray Parfitt, District of Sechelt Director of Planning by phone (604) 885-1986 or email (rparfitt@sechelt.ca) or the planning consultant, Susan Stratis at (604) 886-8035 or (sstratis@telus.net).