FAQs

What is an Official Community Plan (OCP)? [top]

Victoria’s Official Community Plan provides direction for growth and change in the city over the next 30 years. Council, staff and citizens will refer to the Official Community Plan for decisions on issues such as where to locate different types of housing, when to repair and replace the city’s aging infrastructure, and how the city will respond to climate change. The City first adopted an Official Community plan in 1986, with the last update occurring in 1995.

The Official Community Plan provides direction for planning and land use management including: housing; residential development; commercial, industrial, institutional and recreational land uses; road, water and sewer infrastructure; parks and schools; environmentally sensitive land; and greenhouse gas emission reduction targets and actions. Victoria’s draft OCP also includes new topics related to land use and development such as emergency management and food systems.

Why do we need a new Official Community Plan? [top]

Much has changed in the world since the Official Community Plan (OCP) was last updated in 1995. For example, provincial legislation now requires OCPs to include policies that address affordable and special needs housing, as well as to establish targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. The new OCP will address today’s issues and set a clear path for the future, while preserving what is valued and unique about Victoria. 

What are the benefits of a new Official Community Plan? [top]

The benefits of a new OCP will be:

• Articulation of a 30-year vision grounded in community values

• Objectives and policies for moving toward a sustainable community including community climate and energy resiliency

• A new model for local area planning focused on areas of major change and a clear and rationale order for the development of local area plans

• A foundation to proactively assess issues and opportunities based on plan directions

• Objectives and policies to allow for a considered response to unforeseen events and major change in the community over time

How does the Victoria Sustainability Framework relate to the Official Community Plan? [top]

The Victoria Sustainability Framework articulates a 50-100 year vision for the City, while the OCP is a shorter term, more action oriented plan.  The OCP will be one of the primary vehicles that will be used to turn the aspirations laid out in the Victoria Sustainability Framework into action.

The Victoria Sustainability Framework articulates a long-term vision for the City:

Victoria is an urban sustainability leader inspiring innovation, pride and progress towards greater ecological integrity, livability, economic vitality and community resiliency as we confront the changes facing our society and planet today and for generations to come.

The Victoria Sustainability Framework has a set of goals that are incorporated into the OCP to provide overall direction for growth and change for moving towards this vision of a sustainable community over the next 30 years.

How does the Official Community Plan relate to the Downtown Core Area Plan? [top]

While the Official Community Plan provides direction for growth and change in the city over the next 30 years, the Downtown Core Area Plan is a proposed area plan for downtown, Harris Green and some parts of adjacent neighbourhoods. Like all local area plans, the purpose of the Downtown Core Area Plan is to implement the objectives and policies of the Official Community Plan through a plan to guide and respond to the unique needs of this area.

How have citizens and community groups been involved in the update? [top]

To date, more that 6,000 Victoria citizens have contributed to updating Victoria’s Official Community Plan.

April to June 2011

From April to June 2011, Victoria citizens had an opportunity to provide feedback on the draft Official Community Plan. More than 1,300 citizens participated in 57 different events related to the OCP during this phase of engagement. Feedback received includes:

• More than 300 people who attended one of four open house events
• 75 people who attended a Feast with representatives from Esquimalt and Songhees First Nations, Victoria City Council and staff
• More than 300 people who attended one of 10 information sessions held at coffee shops and community events around town
• Input from close to 400 people who submitted written feedback or completed a feedback survey
• Close to 200 people who attended a presentation to their Community Association
• 400 people who met with staff and provided feedback on behalf of their organization or area of expertise. These groups included downtown service providers, seniors groups, business and development.
• More than 100 youth who contributed ideas through facilitated workshops
• Seven individuals who participated in Citizens Insight Councils 

February to June 2010

From February to June of 2010, input from the public contributed to shaping the direction of a draft version of the new Official Community Plan. A variety of methods were used in an effort to hear from a broad range of people and interests in the Victoria community:

• Close to 3000 people participated in a Community Survey.
• More than 550 people attended the first Community Forum at Crystal Garden in March 2010.
• Input from 47 Community Circles involving over 300 people.
• 20 Victoria residents who participated in Citizen Insight Councils.
• Youth who contributed ideas and thoughts through facilitated workshops. 
• Workshops with representatives from 90 organizations across the city including community service providers, members of the business community, policy advisors, members of planning and development community, and seniors groups.
• Presentations to over 400 people including youth, neighbourhood associations, and business groups.
• More than 200 people attended a second Community Forum at Victoria Conference Centre in June 2010.
• Close to 150 people participated in the survey on Future Growth Options for Victoria.

What is the process for developing and refining the plan? [top]

A draft of the new Official Community Plan has been completed, concluding the first four phases of the OCP project. The initial stages of the process included background research, public input, staff analysis and public review. The adoption process will involve a public hearing on the OCP bylaw before it is presented to Council for consideration for final approval.

How does the plan address climate change and energy? [top]

The draft Official Community Plan focuses growth in the urban core and village centres. Guiding population and employment growth to these areas encourages walking and cycling, new homes and employment are located close to transit, more energy efficient, higher density buildings are favoured, and density dependent district energy systems are enabled. This shapes the city in a way that enables greenhouse gas emissions to be reduced and energy use to be minimized. 

Climate change mitigation, climate change adaptation, and energy planning are addressed throughout the draft plan. The draft plan sets an overall target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 33% (based on 2007 levels) by 2020. Transportation, building and infrastructure objectives and policies prioritize options that reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.  Directions that enhance Victoria’s emergency management, promote greater local food options, and upgrade infrastructure systems all help the city to increase its capacity to adapt to climate change impacts.

How does the Official Community Plan provide direction for growth and change? [top]

Over the next 30 years, Victoria is expected to grow by approximately 20,000 new residents. The Official Community Plan provides direction for new housing to be accommodated across the city in the following way: approximately 10% of new housing and population growth will be in Small Urban Villages; 40% in Large Urban Villages and Town Centres; and 50 % in the Urban Core, including downtown. A range of housing types will be encouraged, provided that they are consistent with the character of each neighbourhood.

The draft Official Community Plan takes a new approach to land management based on different types of “urban places”. These include Small and Large Urban Villages, Town Centres and the Urban Core. “Urban place designations” are descriptions of the built form, place character, land use and density that characterize specific places. These categories are general and do not specify legal permitted use of land. Zoning is regulated through the land use zones, or the Zoning Regulation Bylaw.

How does the new Official Community Plan encourage a more ‘walkable’ Victoria? [top]

The new Official Community Plan is focused on a strong downtown and urban core, which includes walkable centres and neighbourhoods. These will be planned so that over time most residents can easily walk to nearby shopping, grocery stores, and a park or green space. The Downtown Core Area, Urban Villages, Town Centres and employment districts will also become increasingly more connected by transit, pedestrian walkways and cycling paths.

Does the new Official Community Plan change existing zoning? [top]

The Official Community Plan does not change existing zoning in Victoria. The draft plan identifies “urban place designations” which are descriptions of the built form, place character, land use and density that are permitted in area. These categories are general and do not specify legal permitted use on land, Zoning is regulated through the land use zones, or the Zoning Regulation Bylaw.

What is a local area plan and why are they useful? [top]

Local area plans are small-scale plans for specific areas of the city. Guided by the Official Community Plan, local area plans take into consideration citywide issues and provide direction for land use specific to the area. To date, local area planning in Victoria has focused on neighbourhoods and sub-neighbourhood precincts. Victoria’s new Official Community Plan provides guidance for a new model of local area planning that includes Neighbourhood Plans, Area Plans, Corridor Plans, Town Centre Plans, Urban Village Plans and District Plans.

What parts of the city are addressed in Local Area Planning? [top]

Over the 30 years of the Official Community Plan, local area planning will be focused on locations where change is expected, specifically along transit corridors, in the Urban Core, including the Downtown Core Area, Urban Villages, Town Centres and Employment Districts. Local Area Planning is proposed to occur in phases, as shown in Map 2 in the Official Community Plan. The order of local area plan development is based on favourable conditions for higher residential densities that enable diverse housing types, rapid and frequent transit, renewable energy as a utility and Urban Villages and Town Centres with goods, services and amenities.

What is the process for developing a local area plan? [top]

Victoria’s new Official Community Plan provides guidance for a principled approach to the development and update of local area plans. Each local area plan will have its own project charter which identifies the boundary of the area to be planned, land use and related topics to consider, a public engagement plan, and a timeframe for completion. Every local area plan process will be guided by City planning staff and a public advisory committee.