The path forward towards revising the city's Official Community Plan will be outlined by City Manager Robert Long tonight, with a report to Council up for review at tonight's Council session.
As part of the City Manager's notes, Council will share word with the public of the hiring of iPlan Planning and Development Services as consultants for the OCP review.
Mr. Rob Buchan is listed as the lead consultant representative and was in Prince Rupert to attend the December 12, 2019 unveiling of the Prince Rupert 2030 Vision Strategy.
According to Mr. Long's report to Council he has already begun work on the update to the current Official Community Plan which dates back to 2007.
It's the first mention of the hiring of an outside agency towards the city's overhaul of the Official Community Plan.
Since the December 12th Vision program at the Lester Centre, the work related to the OCP project has included:
1) Developing an understanding of the community and reviewing and assessing background documents for knowledge and context
2) Preparing a consultation strategy
3) Developing and administering a community survey;
4) Analyzing the community survey
5) Initiation of drafting the new OCP based on the survey results, inputs, and consultations to date.
As part of the Report, Mr. Long also shares the results of some survey work related to the 2030 Vision Plan, the quesitons putting much of the focus on the development of the downtown and waterfront areas of the city.
The City hosted it's consultation on the OCP Renewal plans back in February of this year, making use of it's Rupert Talks engagement platform.
Mr Long's concluding thoughts for his report also make note of the challenges created by the COVID pandemic and the prospect of online public consultation through June to August, as well as plans for a Virtual Town Hall in the Fall.
The OCP update for Prince Rupert has proceeded effectively but now needs to respond to limitations created by COVID 19. An amended consultation strategy and work plan per the attached OCP Time Chart has been developed for the on-line public consultations and is presented for approval. We are working towards completion in 2020, about one month earlier than previously projected.
The city Manager also outlines the range of other regional organizations that the City should provide review and consultation with.
Council needs to consider and give direction on consultations with specific organizations. It is recommended that iPlan planning consultancy undertake consultations with the following organizations:
a) The North Coast Regional District
b) The City of Port Edward
c) The Gitxaala, Metlakatla, and Lax Kw’alaams First Nations
d) The School District 52 (this is a mandatory consultation)
e) The Prince Rupert Port Authority
f) Community Futures Pacific Northwest
That engagement could be part of the Mayor's call of January for the development of a Steward Council to help put the 2030 Vision plans in motion.
"The next step in that redesign process is forming what was recommended in the Vision Stewardship Council which is a collection of partners in the community to co-govern the next decade of development in the community and oversee the vision" -- Mayor Lee Brain offering up some notes on what is ahead for the Rupert 2030 vision plan back in January of this year.
You can review the City Manager's Full Report from the Council Agenda starting at page.
Council members will receive the report and offer comment on it if they wish as part of this evenings City Council session starting at 7PM
For more notes related to this evening's session, see our preview page here.
A wider overview of past City Council Discussion themes can be explored here.
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