Most residents have so far shown little interest in participating in the review of the City of Powell River’s official community plan (OCP). An open house and two neighbourhood forums have attracted about 130 participants, out of a population of just over 13,000. As some participants have attended all three meetings or two of them, the number of individual participants is even lower.
Powell River’s community plan is an important and significant document that will shape the community’s development over the next five years, at the minimum. It reflects history, values and policies, as well as the more technical details of land use designations. One of the goals of this revision is to guide the community toward sustainability.
A community plan is a high-level, visionary document that looks to the future. Changing economic realities for the city and the province, plus the increased awareness of the need to plan future development in a more sustainable way, make this a major revision.
An OCP is a reflection of residents’ vision for their community, how it should be sustained and how it should grow. It reflects people’s ideas and values and their definitions of their neighbourhoods. It is a blueprint that defines the vision for how a community will grow over the long term, ensuring that future development takes place according to a community’s wishes.
Although an OCP is a guideline, not a regulation, all new zoning bylaws and amendments and development permits must be consistent with it. That makes it a strategic tool that shapes the kind of community Powell River residents want.
An expectation of the new OCP is that it will develop a vision for future development. This will be accomplished by land-use designations and policy directions which will guide the development of the vision.
Residents should not be afraid to speak up, ask questions and make their opinions known. The purpose of the meetings is to gather input from the public. Those working on the rewrite, including staff and consultants, need to listen to what people say and incorporate their ideas and suggestions into the draft version of the OCP. Ultimately, city council will approve the document and their decision needs to be informed by the input collected at the public gatherings.
OCP meetings can be lively affairs. Many issues are discussed and debated as information is exchanged. It’s a great way to become familiar with a democratic process and have a say in shaping the community’s future.
What the community looks like, how it grows, what values will be retained, can all be defined during the OCP review. In the end, the vision belongs to those who become involved.
