By Natalie Bank October 29, 2007 Vernon Daily Courier
The potential official community plans for Vernon range from small changes in current development rules to major policy shifts that would steer growth to the city‘s core. On Friday council held a special meeting where the city‘s senior planning staff unveiled the three OCP scenarios. Coun. Juliette Cunningham said the workshop made it clear what would happen if the OCP isn‘t amended. “…We would leave ourselves open to urban sprawl and we have heard that people want to have development closer to the core and that sits with our guiding principles.” The second and third scenarios would encourage growth in the city centre by using what‘s called a policy-based district approach that would charge development cost charges based on square footage and district. The policy would make it cheaper to build in the city centre and most expensive in the hillside residential and agricultural district.
Right now the DCCs for a bachelor suite downtown would cost the same as a large house in the outskirts because the city charges DCCs on residential development per unit. In the second scenario, Hybrid, growth would be encouraged in already built up areas such as downtown and residential neighbourhoods. The third scenario, Neighbourhood Centres, would focus on new family development in and around commercial areas and make more restrictions on development away from the city‘s core. The idea is to keep single or two family neighbourhoods as they are and create pockets of densities that would support transit.
Coun. Patrick Nicol said the plans show people want smart growth, the term for sustainable development, but he wants to make sure people will still have choices about the best place for their family to live. “We‘re at the starting point of something different, which is encouraging, but it is a long road to change.” The first scenario, Modified Business as Usual, would continue using the existing OCP approach, but with new guidelines on environmental management and hillside development. During the initial public consultation process, which included workshops, surveys and focus groups over the last year, 44 per cent of people said they were opposed to development on hillsides. The Growth Choices Survey, conducted in July, also showed 84 per cent of residents are against development of Agricultural Land Reserve areas and 86 per cent are opposed to development on wetlands. All three scenarios involve protecting and preserving green spaces, sensitive areas and agricultural land as well as restrictions on hillside development.
The public will have a chance to have their say about the scenarios at upcoming open houses, displays and through the city‘s website. Cunningham said council hopes the public will play an active role in choosing the best plan for Vernon. “…We‘re hoping with all the options made available to the public, they‘ll take advantage of that, because it‘s not our OCP, it should be the community‘s OCP.” For more information visit www.vernon.sgas.bc.ca.
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