Saanich’s new Official Community Plan (OCP) to guide the future of development and planning in the district has reached its penultimate stage.
The district council is holding a public hearing to present the plan on Tuesday, April 30. This is the last required step before adoption.
The OCP is designed to steer future zoning decisions, but does not create specific zoning bylaws. Individual building proposals still need to be approved on a case-by-case basis.
“It’s a document that will guide council this term and in future terms as it makes important decisions about how to manage growth,” Mayor Dean Murdock said in a Monday morning (April 22) interview.
The last time Saanich updated its OCP was in 2008.
“So there’s been a lot of work done to make sure that the planning framework is a modern one that’s responsive to the demands of our community in the modern era, and going forward for the next 10 to 15 years,” Murdock said.
The new document is meant to take into account the many growth-related issues Saanich faces, he said, including housing affordability, active transportation routes and the desire to maintain green spaces in the community.
“All of that gets folded into this fairly significant update,” he said.
The creation of this document has not been without controversy so far, as it pits pro-development factions against those who would like to see a more conservative approach.
On the one side are councillors such as Zac de Vries, who say creating greater diversity in Saanich neighbourhoods is “long overdue,” and on the other side are those such as Nathalie Chambers, who want to prioritize the preservation of green space.
Overall, Murdock said there has been a lengthy consultation process, and though he suspects some people will show up at the meeting to share their concerns with council, the councillors themselves all have the same overall objectives despite minor disagreements.
“I think we all share a concern around housing affordability and availability, I think we all want to ensure that people can get around our community safely,” he said. “I think as we grow, we want to be aware of the need for recreation services and public green spaces and amenities that serve a growing population. I think council’s united around that vision.”
The meeting will be held at Saanich Municipal Hall and will begin at 7 p.m. It can also be viewed online at saanich.ca.