If you live in Warfield, next week is your last chance to choose a direction.
Village council is hosting a final revision of its IOCP (Integrated Official Community Plan) and insight from residents is key, says Warfield Mayor Diane Langman.
“We are trying to get as many people out as we can,” Langman told the Trail Times. “Last time (August draft review) we didn’t have a lot of community engagement, which was pretty disappointing.”
The first of three sessions begins Monday, Sept. 18 at 1:30 p.m. in council chambers. Later that day a second sitting is slated at the Warfield Community Hall from 5:30-7 p.m., with firefighters on site serving up sausages on a bun by donation, all proceeds will be given to Muscular Dystrophy Canada.
Anyone who cannot join in on Monday, still has an opportunity the following day from 9-10:30 a.m. in council chambers.
All it takes is 15 minutes.
“Join the project consultant for 15 minutes,” Langman said. “Or stay for 90 minutes to ask questions and provide feedback about the draft plan.”
Langman reminds residents that until Sept. 19, an online IOCP questionnaire is available on the village’s website.
“The plan has been developed by the community, with guidance from the village and the Whistler Centre for Sustainability, the project consultants,” Langman said.
“This is why community engagement is a key piece to our IOCP,” she added. “The community will be engaged in developing the vision, goals and policy directions for the plan, identifying action ideas for implementation, and then reviewing the draft plan, which will include the IOCP policies.”
In a nutshell, an IOCP outlines the long-term vision and goals for a community.
“As well as the policies and priorities for how we begin to create that future,” said Langman. “It will become our community’s highest level policy and decision-making tool that can be applied to all levels of decisions and other planning … It will guide our community for the next 10-plus years.”
The plan includes seven sections, those being: Land Use and Natural Areas; Residential Areas and Housing; Commercial and Industrial Areas; Infrastructure (energy, transportation, water, waste, communications); Recreation, Culture and Learning; Community and Individual Health; and Governance and Capacity.
Sustainability principles will be integrated into the plan such that we are planning for the health and success of our community for generations to come, she continued.
“Further, a system for tracking and reporting performance toward (or away from) our vision and goals will also be included in the plan so we know how we’re doing year after year.”
The Warfield IOCP is being funded through a grant from the Union of BC Municipalities. By developing an official plan, the village will be eligible for additional funding through the Federation of Canadian Municipalities ‘Green Municipal Fund’ grant program.