NEWS RELEASE
June 15, 2020
[Sooke, BC]
The District of Sooke is inviting residents and local business owners to serve on the Official Community Plan (OCP) Advisory Committee. Council is seeking seven (7) Committee members who represent a broad range of community interests and are asking applicants to outline how their experience in key areas will help provide context on local issues.
Specific areas of focus include:
- Building & Economic Development Community
- Health and Social Services
- Environmental Stewardship & Climate Change
- Business & Tourism Community
- Arts, Culture and Recreation
- Youth or Young Adult (Under 29)
- First Nations Culture & Heritage Resources
At its heart, an OCP is about managing land use and physical growth of the District. This means that the OCP dictates the location, type, and intensity of homes, businesses, agriculture, parks, public spaces, and more. As a result, an OCP influences transportation choices, housing choices, community character, protection of ecological and agricultural areas, resource management, greenhouse gas emissions, and how much it costs us to pay for municipal services such as pipes and streets.
Committee members will provide input at key intervals in the planning process and will ultimately help shape policy as the vision and plan progress. OCP Advisory Committee members will be appointed for a term of approximately 18 months, and it is expected that six (6) meetings will be required throughout the duration of the project.
The kick-off of OCP review will take place later this month, culminating in a new OCP in late 2021. The OCP contract was awarded to DIALOG, a multi-disciplinary design firm with deep roots in British Columbia, having created the master plan for Granville Island more than four decades ago. DIALOG specializes in large scale planning processes like Official Community Plans, focusing on bringing together best practices and meaningful public engagement that honours the qualities that make each place special.
Public engagement opportunities will take place throughout the process. The input the community shares will be incredibly important to help shape the Plan. Through the process, we hope to hear from each resident of Sooke in this generational opportunity to guide change in our community.
Sooke residents or business owners interested in serving on the OCP Advisory Committee are invited to submit their application to the District of Sooke for consideration by Friday, July 17, 2020 at noon.
Application forms can be accessed by clicking the link above, or by visiting https://sooke.civicweb.net/filepro/documents/43260
The complete Terms of Reference can be found here: https://sooke.civicweb.net/filepro/documents/43263
Completed applications can be submitted the following ways:
Mail: Corporate Services
District of Sooke
2205 Otter Point Road
Sooke, BC V9Z 1J2
Email: corp@sooke.ca
For more information on the OCP Advisory Committee, please contact Corporate Services at corp@sooke.ca, or contact the Municipal Hall at (250) 642-1634.