Adoption of Official Community Plan, 2010
Sooke, BC – May 21st, 2010
On May 17, 2010, District of Sooke Council approved our community’s new Official Community Plan (OCP). For over two years the OCP Review Committee, residents, staff, Council, consultants, and both government and non-governmental agencies have all lent a hand in developing a long term vision for Sooke. The result is an OCP that is visionary and strategic and that will help provide guidance to staff and Council when making decisions regarding land use -- and also when making decisions that may have social, economic or environmental implications.
The OCP’s guiding principles speak to a community that encourages sustainable growth while maintaining significant park, rural and agricultural areas for future generations. In fact, the primary area for future residential and commercial development totals only 23% of the land area of Sooke, so that through the densification of specific areas of our community, such as the Town Centre, we can allow for the protection of our rural and open spaces. The OCP supports economic growth so that new and existing residents can be provided with a more diverse tax base, allow for more affordable and a variety of forms of housing, and enable the installation of better infrastructure such as roads, sidewalks and sewer services. The overriding goal of the OCP is to build a more complete community where residents can “live, work and play” while still maintaining the character of our town that makes is so special.
The OCP’s vision was accepted unanimously by the Capital Regional District (CRD) Board when approving the OCP’s Regional Context Statement, as any OCP must show how the community will meet the goals and objectives of the capital region’s Regional Growth Strategy. The District of Sooke has not had an approved Regional Context Statement before, which now allows the District to work more cooperatively with the CRD in regards to grants and improvements to CRD infrastructure, such as better water services to the more rural areas of our community.
It is important to note that an OCP is a ‘living document’ that may change over time to more accurately reflect conditions in the community that could not be foreseen at the time it was drafted. The implementation of this OCP will begin now and it will be used as a basis for making all other policy and strategic plans for the District. We encourage you to get involved in the many new initiatives, committees, and discussions that will be taking place over the coming months stemming from the Sooke OCP 2010 document. If there are any questions please do not hesitate to contact the municipal hall.
Thank you to all residents, members of the OCP Review Committee, and Council for your engagement and comments in this process. We have an Official Community Plan that is already being hailed as an award winning document and one that provides for an excellent foundation for Sooke to more forward with well into the future.
For more information, contact:
District of Sooke
Tel: 250-642-1634
Fax: 250-642-0541