OCP Update Process
Gain Perspective
The Gain Perspective phase of the Official Community Plan (OCP) update process included the creation of a Background Report and the formation of a Steering Committee for the process.
Now that we have Gained Perspective, we can begin to Envision the Future.
Background Report
We have gathered information about Fort Nelson and the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality which has been compiled in the Background Report. This information will be used to inform the drafting of the new Official Community Plan.
Steering Committee
To ensure that the new OCP process is guided by the community, a Steering Committee has been formed by Regional Council. This Steering Committee will help ensure that the process best meets the needs of the community, and will help spread the word about the OCP update, important dates and events, and opportunities for public involvement and input. This Regional Council selected Committee is comprised of the following members of the community that represent interests such as social, culture, business, environment, health, transportation, industry, agriculture, education, and youth:
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Envision the Future
The Envision the Future phase of the OCP update is where we gather all of the information that will be included in the OCP. Public input is the most important aspect of this phase. Three opportunities for input are available to you:
- Kitchen Table Workbooks
- Public Workshop
- Public Open House
In addition, we are holding a Photo Contest that will give you an opportunity to submit your photos for inclusion in the new OCP. More information can be found below. All of the information gathered in this phase of the process will be used to Draft the Outcome and update the OCP.
Kitchen Table Workbooks
The Kitchen Table Workbook is a visioning guide to help people imagine what you think the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality will look like in the future. The purpose of the workbook is to help you to:
- Imagine the ideal future;
- Identify actions that can help make that future a reality; and
- Identify obstacles or impediments to the future you imagine.
The workbook is intended to guide small group discussions in an effort to gather more in depth information and to give people a chance to discuss the future of the community together. The workbook is designed so that people can work on them anytime and anywhere, alone or in small groups. It differs from traditional surveys in that it asks general questions and collects a wider range of information.
The workbook contains a visioning exercise along with instructions. If you would like to review the existing OCP and background documents, please find them on our OCP page. The information gained from the Workbooks will help establish the community's vision and will guide the Public Workshop on March 12, 2011 as well as the new policies of the OCP. Workbooks were available to fill out online or at the following locations throughout town:
- Municipal Office
- Library
- Chamber of Commerce
- Fort Nelson Secondary School
- Northern Lights College
- Fort Nelson First Nation Office
Workbooks completed online can be returned by email to justask@northernrockies.ca or to the above locations, or via:
Mail:
PO Bag Service 399
5319 - 50th Ave South, Fort Nelson BC V0C 1R0
Fax: (250) 774-6794
Kitchen Table Workbook Summary Report
Thank you for your input! To make sure your opinion was heard, from January 17 to February 11, Kitchen Table Workbooks were collected. We received community responses from 52 workbooks and about 197 participants. View the Kitchen Table Workbook Summary Report and Kitchen Table Workbook Summary of Responses for more information.
Public Workshop
This Public Workshop is a day-long event on Saturday March 12, 2011 held from 9:30am - 4pm at the Phoenix Theatre and Municipal Hall.
The Public Workshop will use the goals established from the Workbooks collected from our community to discuss land use topics and identify land use objectives for the future. The Workshop will be held in different sessions where participants can choose which land use topics they want to attend, discuss major issues, future locations, and desired objectives for that topic. View the OCP Workshop Poster for more information.
Public Open House
Immediately following the Workshop on March 12th, is the Public Open House from 6 - 9pm at Municipal Hall to provide another opportunity for input. No registration is required for this event and everyone is invited to attend! More information about the Open House will be posted.
Public Engagement Summary Report - Now Available!
To follow the Public Workshop, the Public Engagement Summary Report provides a summary of the processes used to engage the Fort Nelson Community and gain valuable input with regard to land use, growth, and development which will be included in our new OCP. This Report includes the draft Community Vision and Guiding Principles, a summary of the public engagement processes, and results of the public engagement activities.
Photo Contest
Test your photography skills by entering your favourite photos in our Photo Contest. Submit photos of interest in and around Fort Nelson, including places, buildings, and people.
Contest winners will see their photos placed in the new OCP!
Send your photos digitally with the subject line "OCP Photo Contest" to justask@northernrockies.ca
Define the Outcome
Once all public input is collected from the workbooks, workshop, and open house, we will begin the process of drafting the new Official Community Plan. This process will take a number of weeks. Keep an eye on the website for the Draft Official Community Plan to be posted on the website.
Once the Draft has been completed, the public will get a chance to Review the document to make sure that it reflects the vision of the community.
Review
Once the OCP has been drafted, there will be the opportunity to Review the document, both by the public, and by regulatory agencies.
Following input from the public, we will be able to Make it Happen!
Community Review
The Draft OCP will be available on the website. The community will have the opportunity to review the document and provide comments. A Public Open House will be held on the evening of Tuesday June 14, 2011. This Open House will allow you to view the new document and provide your comments.
Make it Happen!
Approval by Council
Approval of the new Official Community Plan by Regional Council will be a four step process:
- Present the Final Draft to Regional Council
- First and Second Reading of the Document
- Public Hearing and Third Reading of the Document
- Final Reading and Approval by Regional Council
We will post the dates for these steps when they are confirmed.
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