The Town of View Royal is an attractive, largely residential community of over 9,400 people in the centre-west part of British Columbia’s Capital Region. The View Royal Official Community Plan, coordinated by CitySpaces, charts a course to create a transition from a suburban, bedroom community for Victoria to becoming a complete and inclusive town with its own identity. Stemming from a comprehensive vision statement, areas of land use change and of stability are identified and described, along with policy chapters on :
- Transportation and Housing
- Housing
- Natural Environment, Energy and Climate Change
- Community Infrastructure and Services
- Parks and Recreation
- Community Facilities and Social Well-Being
- Economic Development
Guidelines for areas that require a development permit before construction were also prepared – form and character guidelines for mixed residential, neighbourhood mixed use, intensive mixed use, and commercial; and watercourse and shoreline guidelines and sensitive terrestrial ecosystems.
The community engagement strategy for the OCP Update included both traditional and nontraditional
involvement methods were used:
- Community Visioning Workshop;
- Community Options Workshop and Preview Nights;
- Seven Neighbourhood Conversations and Walkabouts;
- Three Newsletters mailed to all residents;
- Online Engagement through an interactive project website, mini-surveys, email list and Facebook page;
- Four Dream Town Student Workshops at a Middle School;
- Dream Town Art Projects completed by elementary students and displayed at the Town Hall;
- Stakeholder Interviews conducted in-person, and over the phone, with large property owners, developers, real estate professionals, and representatives from local businesses, community organizations, service providers and non-profit groups.
- Communications, notification letters and meetings with other levels of government, and regional, provincial and federal agencies.
- Community Open House to showcase the draft plan and receive input.
- Town Council Review at key points in the planning process.
The Planning Process also benefited significantly from the work of the OCP Community Committee. Comprised of volunteer View Royal residents, the Committee met seven times to provide advice to the planning team on the process and overall direction of the Plan.
PROJECT TEAM:
Linda Allen Shelley Gadsden Palmer