Official community plans describe the long-term vision of communities. They are a statement of objectives and policies that guide decisions on municipal and regional district planning and land use management. These decisions impact communities’ sustainability and resilience.
However, after the adoption of an official community plan, all bylaws enacted or works undertaken must be consistent with the plan. This is why these plans are so important. As such, the SCA is attempting to have some say in what goes into this plan as these plan renewals only ever occur, every seven years, as per the legislation. Ours is now 13 years old!
As such the SCA is hoping that members will be interested in participating in looking at the following gaps that our board has identified in the current OCP.
- Development
- Transportation
- Environment
- Implementation
Development
These development sites were chosen because except for Gateway, are built and provide good examples of what should be addressed in future developments.
Contact Dennis Carlsen at dcarlsen58@gmail.com if you are interested in performing a test to see how these projects would fare against the current OCP.
- Firehall Site
- Ardwell subdivision
- Painted Ladies (James White Blvd)
- Rudd development (Malaview),
- 9500 Bk Fifth St.
- Sidney Crossing (Gateway)
Transportation
The streets listed below are the major streets identified in the OCP. These are the major vehicle, cycling and pedestrian routes. Therefore, any street improvements are likely to have the most impact.
Contact Eric Diller at eric4941@yahoo.com if you are interested in performing a functional audit of the following streets. We are seeking the input from folks who are:
Children (roughly 1m tall)
Using a mobility scooter or walker
Using a bicycle for transportation
Pedestrians
Use BC Transit
Drive
- Resthaven
- Fifth
- Mills
- Bowerbank
- Ardwell
It is interesting to note that Sidney will be commencing its active transportation plan following the OCP review process and also be working with BC transit on their proposed rapid-bus system for the region.
Environment
The areas listed are considered sensitive environmental areas and have people living in close proximity to them. As such they should be cared for in a manner that preserves and enhances them. If you are interested in discussing how these will be affected in the future.
Contact Nicholas at nicholaskris@shaw.ca to have your say in how these environmentally sensitive areas are protected.
- Roberts Bay
- Mermaid Creek
- Reay Creek
- Beaufort Road
- Lochside Waterfront
Implementation
Our current OCP includes very little about how a plan should be implemented. Most OCPs don’t have any implementation strategy which means that they read great, but then council doesn’t act on any of the things that are in them.
Bioregional Framework for the Saanich Peninsula (BFSP)
Jerram Gawley and Bob Peart
Representing the Saanich Peninsula Environmental Coalition
Check out our facebook page for the update.