OFFICIAL COMMUNITY PLAN (OCP) REVISION 2022

The Village of Slocan intends to review and revise its Official Community Plan (OCP) Bylaw in 2022, through a consultative process. The work will include significant and meaningful community engagement, and will elicit current values from the community, stakeholders, and special interest groups. It is expected that going through such a process will help ensure that Council decisions related to land use and development reflect the community’s desired future of Slocan. A primary result of the OCP review is to provide a vision for the community, a framework to guide community growth, and certainty to residents, landowners, and the business and development community as it relates to change.

 

Ten years have passed since adoption of the current OCP and the Village is interested in incorporating changes as required by legislation, and to bring the bylaw into line with development trends suitable for the Village, focusing on areas such as business, housing, recreation, and tourism. In addition, this OCP review will also reaffirm the community’s values concerning issues such as servicing, land use, amenities, the municipality’s identity within the Slocan Valley, aspirations for sustainability and rural viability, climate change, parks and interface, and development permit areas.

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WHAT IS AN OCP?

The Official Community Plan (OCP) is a document required through Provincial legislation and is The Main Vision Document for the Community. Broadly, the OCP is a future-looking document which contains a community vision, statements of objectives, policies, and guidelines that help guide planning and land use decisions. Any other plans, bylaws, and policies within the Village MUST follow the OCP. To learn more, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/local-governments/planning-land-use/local-government-planning/official-community-plans.


WE CAN’T DO IT WITHOUT YOU!

Given that the OCP is functionally the community’s vision for itself, we need the community to help shape the plan.
We need your input and guidance as this document affects and influences aspects of your everyday life, including housing choice and affordability, parks, trails, a vibrant downtown, and local jobs/economy. The OCP directs the Village’s future investments in these important aspects of your community.


HOW DO WE GET THERE?

The Village has hired Selkirk Planning & Design to complete the OCP update process, which includes public engagement throughout the process. This is to gather the thoughts and ideas of the community to inform the update to the OCP. Using community input and planning best practices, the team will develop a Community Vision, Objectives, Policies, Guidelines, and Maps that make up the OCP Bylaw document. Updating and/or replacing an OCP is a way of ensuring that land use and planning decisions are in alignment with the community’s vision.


HOW AND WHEN CAN I GET INVOLVED?

There will be numerous opportunities for public engagement throughout the project beginning in February 2022. Depending on the status of COVID-19, engagement opportunities will be carefully balanced between online platforms and in-person events.

The OCP project team will listen to all voices and ideas during the project. The team will then gather all feedback into a comprehensive understanding from citizens of the local values and priorities for the future of Slocan that will assist in guiding the policies in the OCP update. A publicly available What We Heard document will be available following each phase of public engagement. The team has the exciting challenge of bringing together a host of ideas, best practices and perspectives, including: community values and priorities, Council direction, staff direction, consultant team member expertise, and latest best practices in community planning. 

This page is dedicated to providing the public with information regarding the OCP update. Be sure to check this page regularly for updates on how you can participate in this exciting process!

If you would like to sign-up for project updates and upcoming events, please email OCP@villageofslocan.ca or stay tuned on the Village’s website and Facebook page.


REFERENCE DOCUMENTS:


TIMELINE

January 31, 2022OCP Advisory Committee - CALL OUT FOR MEMBERS
February 14, 2022Council passed official resolution to form an "OCP Advisory Select Committee" of Council.
Council approved the draft Committee Terms of Reference (TOR), as presented.

- Staff Report and Terms of Reference
February 14, 2022Council adopted the OCP Communications & Engagement Plan, prepared by the Village's OCP consultants, Selkirk Planning & Design. The purpose of this plan is to ouline the goals, stakeholders, approach, tactics, and events related to the communications and engagement aspects of the project. This document is managed by the Selkirk Planning & Design team.

- OCP Communications & Engagement Plan 2022
February 17, 2022OCP ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Thank you to everyone who applied to sit on this volunteer committee. The Village received overwhelming interest for this callout, which is indicative of how ready the community is for this update. It certainly was not an easy process to narrow the list down to 9 members!

We are pleased to announce that the following members were appointed by Council, to sit on the OCP Advisory Committee (listed alphabetically by first name):



The team weighed in factors such as application content, represented organization, sector type, length of residency, demographic, community involvement, and availability to participate. Some applicants were not chosen due to those being prime candidates for stakeholder engagement. We thank everyone who took the time to apply for this callout!
March 28, 2022CLICK HERE TO COMPLETE THE SURVEY



March 28, 2022CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE OCP ENGAGEMENT SUMMARY BOARDS

March 28, 2022
March 29, 2022

Please use the following link to attend the meeting virtually or by telephone:

https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/322545565

Dial in by phone: 1-647-497-9391
Access Code 322-545-565
May 16, 2022
May 24, 2022OCP OPEN HOUSE #2 -
Please join us on Tuesday, May 24 at 6:00pm at the Slocan Legion Hall for another OCP Open House.

The Village's OCP Consultants, Selkirk Planning & Design, will be in attendance to discuss the "WHAT WE HEARD" Report (what we heard from the community during the March engagement sessions and survey responses), as well as a presentation of the first OCP draft.

If you are unable to attend in person, please use the link below to join in virtually to the live stream at 6:30pm, or to listen in by telephone:

https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/322545565
Dial in by phone: 1-647-497-9391
Access Code 322-545-565

May 24, 2022CLICK HERE TO COMPLETE THE OCP COMMUNITY SURVEY #2

May 25, 2022OCP OPEN HOUSE #2

Thank you to everyone who came out to our OCP Open House yesterday evening!

For anyone that couldn’t attend, the presentation has been recorded and can be viewed here:
OCP OPEN HOUSE #2 RECORDING

The presentation slide show can be viewed here:
     - PRESENTATION SLIDE SHOW

For more information, the Open House engagement boards can be viewed here:
ENGAGEMENT BOARDS – OCP Open House

To view the first draft of the OCP, please click here:
OCP DRAFT #1
July 14, 2022Draft #3 of the OCP is now ready for review and comment. Please click on the link below:

DRAFT #3 - OFFICIAL COMMUNITY PLAN

July 25, 2022
August 23, 2022
August 25, 2022

CLICK HERE TO VIEW:

- PROPOSED OFFICIAL COMMUNITY PLAN BYLAW NO. 700, 2022

- SCHEDULE ‘A’ – OFFICIAL COMMUNITY PLAN
October 3, 2022