What could be one of the most ambitious projects for this current membership of City Council yet is already underway, with the groundwork well in place towards a revision to the city's Official Community Plan.
At Monday's City Council session, Rosa Miller, the city's Corporate Administrator relayed some of the key points from a report from City Manager Robert Long, detailing some of the work done so far towards the OCP review.
Among some of the key elements of the presentation, the announcement that consultants from iPlan Planning and Development Services had been contracted towards the work.
As the Corporate Administrator observed, lead consultant Rob Buchan had been on hand as early as late last year, when he was in Prince Rupert for the unveiling of the 2030 Vision strategy in December and has already begun his work in updating the Official Community Plan.
Ms. Miller also noted that there had been a survey engagement earlier this Spring, but with the onset of COVID the community engagement process has been impacted, with the move now towards an on line and socially distant approach.
In more normal times, a major initiative such as a rewrite of the Official Community Plan would involve public meetings and the opportunity to ask questions, seek clarification and share opinions on the direction that the city may wish to go as it revises the blue print of sorts for development into the future.
However, as it stands at the moment, as explained by Ms. Miller, when it comes to the new approach towards public engagement, much of it will take place over the internet by way of the Engage Rupert platform.
"While the initial survey engagement was active and productive the impact of COVID 19 on the consultation strategy has been significant, with the physical distancing protocols and current prohibition on large in person gatherings the ability to conduct traditional town hall meetings and having in person consultations has been removed from the intended consultation approach.
COVID 19 has created a need to move to a more online, more physically distanced approach to the consultation phase which is supported by recent Ministerial order updates.
Accordingly the amended work plan timeline is based on further consultation which will be principally hosted on the Engage Rupert website" -- Corporate Administrator Rosa Miller outlining the path forward for the city's review of the Official Community Plan
As well as the community engagement activity online, the City will also need for further engagement with local and regional stakeholders on the Official Community Plan update, among those to be contacted by Mr. Buchan on behalf of the city will be:
The North Coast Regional District
The City of Port Edward
The Gitxaala, Metlakatla
Lax Kw’alaams First Nations
The School District 52
The Prince Rupert Port Authority
Community Futures Pacific Northwest
Considering the expansive scope for such a project, there was not much discussion by City Council towards the path ahead.
With only Councillor Mirau offering up a question, more of a clarification actually, as he asked city staff if the iPlan group would be using past land use surveys and other projects that the city has taken on in recent years.
"I just, I noticed that in that survey there was a lot of reference to Vision 2030 one thing that I don't want to leave by the wayside and I just want to confirm is that iPlan has been using, or is building on the interim land use policy framework that we had done a couple of years ago as part of our planning for major projects. There was a ton of great work that I think that we had all come to agreement on after hours and hours of workshops. Whether that was the urban containment boundary, or infill development policies, housing, industrial land development all those types of things. And I just want to make sure from staff that, that interim land policy framework had been included in some of this OCP update"-- Councillor Blair Mirau on past work towards planning in the community
Ms. Miller confirmed for the councillor that those elements had been included as part of the work to date.
The remainder of Council members offered no follow up on the OCP themes presented on the evening, letting pass by any discussion related to the hiring of the consultants and the work that they will be taking on towards review and revision of those policies.
Towards future public engagement, earlier in the evening Council members did explore the theme of finding ways to offer more access to council events.
Something that city staff is apparently exploring to determine what options, if any, that the city may have towards hosting public events in a safe manner.
Considering the long lasting impact that such an overhaul of the Official Community Plan will have on the community, whatever public engagement measures that make it possible for the public to participate in, should be the guiding star for council as they move forward with their plans.
You can review Mr. Long's report to Council from the Agenda from Monday's Council session here, starting on page .
The information on the Official Community plan posted to the Engage Prince Rupert portal can be found here.
The current Official Community Plan from 2007 can be reviewed here.
Ms. Miller's presentation from Monday can be viewed from the City's video archive starting at the 26 minute mark.
Last Week, Mayor Lee Brain posted a short synopsis of the ambitions for planning for the city to his Facebook page providing links to his two showcase events of the last five years, the original Hays 2.0 vision plan and the follow up presentation of last December the Prince Rupert 2030 vision plan.
For more notes related to Monday's Council session see our Council Timeline Feature here.
A wider overview of Community planning themes can be found here, while past Council Discussion themes can be explored here.
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