The Official Community Plan (OCP) was adopted by Council on September 27, 2022 after significant engagement and contributions from the community, City staff, and Council since 2018.
Read the Official Community Plan
Overall, reviewing and updating the OCP is a six-phase process that took place over approximately two years as outlined in the below diagram.
- Phase 1: Background Research (completed: 2017 – spring 2018)
- Phase 2: Public Launch (completed: spring 2018)
- Phase 3: Vision & Goals (completed: summer - late fall 2018)
- Phase 4: Refining Our Goals (current: winter 2018 – summer 2019)
- Phase 5: Drafting the Plan (late fall 2019 - spring 2020)
- Phase 6: Adoption Process (complete fall 2022)
Timeline
Phase 1: Background Research (completed: 2017 – spring 2018)
During Phase 1, the City explored existing conditions in Pitt Meadows, reviewed existing City plans and strategies, and provided early community engagement activities.
During the background studies and existing policy review, City staff undertook the process of identifying areas of study and data collection that would help to inform the OCP review. Staff reviewed current plans and studies in addition to the OCP to identify policy gaps, including:
- City of Pitt Meadows Transportation Master Plan
- City of Pitt Meadows Active Transportation Plan
- Metro Vancouver 2040: Shaping Our Future (Regional Growth Strategy)
- Metro Vancouver Regional Affordable Housing Strategy
- Age Friendly Plan
- City of Pitt Meadows Housing Action Plan
- City of Pitt Meadows Civic Engagement Framework
Council Reports
Phase 2: Public Launch (completed: spring 2018)
Community consultation is an integral part of the entire OCP review process. Phase 2 included developing a community consultation plan with the goals:
- To generate broad interest for the plan from the community.
- To share with the community information from the background studies and policy review in the first step.
- To ask the community what their vision for the future would be.
Phase 2 also focused strongly on listening to the community through extensive community engagement including surveys, open houses, workshops, pop-up events, meetings with community organizations, and events designed specifically for youth and seniors.
The Launch Event took place on May 12, 2018 at the Pitt Meadows Family Recreation Centre. The Vision and Values Workshop was held on June 20, 2018 at the Heritage Hall.
Public Consultation Materials
Launch Event, May 12, 2018
2040 Visioning Event, June 20, 2018
- Event Boards
- Visioning Boards - Illustrated Posters of Public Input:
Council Reports:
Phase 3: Vision & Goals (Completed: summer 2018 - late fall 2018)
The third phase of reviewing the OCP involved gathering addition input on the values and vision for the community's future and developing a summary report of what we heard.
This renewed community vision is intended to be an inspiring, shared description of the future of the community, which will also guide the development of the updated OCP policies.
Phase 3 focused strongly on listening to the community through surveys, open houses, workshops, pop-up events, meetings with community organizations, and events designed specifically for youth and seniors.
Input from participants will be combined with research and analysis to ensure that it translates into clear policies that are brought to life as attractive and functional buildings, streets, town centres, and public spaces as Pitt Meadows grows.
I See Pitt Meadow 2040: Vision and Values
What We Heard
Through the fall of 2018, the City engaged the community in I See Pitt Meadows 2040 – the update of the Official Community Plan (OCP).The focus was on gathering public opinion on the City’s vision and values that will shape the OCP and its policies.
Activities included five stakeholder conversations in October 2018 with community organizations representing the recreation, arts, environmental, social service and business sectors. A special event for youth was also held to capture their perspectives. This rounded out several months of engagement that included a public open house, Vision and Values Sharing Event, online survey, discussions with other governments and agencies, and other outreach.
We heard that people want Pitt Meadows to be a thriving, vibrant, friendly, small city where people are welcomed, and growth for current and future generations is balanced with the protection of our surrounding farmland and natural environment.
What people in Pitt Meadows value most:
- Small town feel and sense of community
- Walkable compact community with easy access to what we need and value
- Proximity to nature based recreational opportunities
- A calm, safe and clean community
- Our farmland and natural areas
- A beautiful city and setting with trees, plants and green space
- Engaged and connected citizen
Thank you to everyone who has participated, and everyone who shared this project so other residents could participate as well!
Here is a one-page summary of the engagement results:
This information will form the vision statement for the new Official Community Plan and will serve as the foundation for the new OCP.
Guided by this public input, the Whistler Centre for Sustainability produced a Proposed Vision Framework to guide the development of a new OCP. It is expected this framework will evolve through further feedback opportunities in 2019.
Council Reports:
Phase 4: Refining Our Goals (completed: winter 2018 – summer 2019)
In this stage of the OCP Review, the City built upon the results of the public consultation from the past year with additional research and consultation with the City's Technical Advisory Committees, including the Agricultural Advisory Committee, the Active Transportation Committee and the Advisory Design Panel. Components of the newly adopted governance structure, which supports two-way dialogue, were used to support focused discussions on key topic areas including: growth, agriculture, environment, parks and recreation, transportation, waste and water, employment and economy and more.
In addition, City staff met with external partners such as: the School District, Metro Vancouver, Translink and the Katzie First Nation to discuss issues of common concern.
Summer 2019 Community Engagement
Throughout the summer of 2019 the City gathered public feedback at several events including a House and Community Growth Forum on June 15.
In addition, a series of background papers and online surveys were posted on important issues from transportation and environment, to agriculture and commercial/industrial lands/
Thank you to all of the participants who contributed throughout the summer in our many OCP engagement events and opportunities. Your valuable input will now be used to help create the Plan and its associated maps.
Council Reports and Presentations:
- Pitt Meadows 2040: Official Community Plan Review Council Update, July, 2019
- Pitt Meadows Residential Policy Review Presentation
- Commercial & Industrial Land Analysis Presentation
- Commercial & Industrial Land Analysis Report
Phase 5: Drafting the Plan (completed late fall 2019 – spring 2020)
OCP Draft Land Use Plan: Your Vision. Our Community
Draft land use plan and policies were deleveoped based on extensive input from the public, stakeholders, and Council as part of the Official Community Plan Update. This plan will help guide future decisions about our community.
Phase 6: Adoption Process (currrent)
The final phase involves the official adoption of the new Official Community Plan (OCP). This adoption process includes a public hearing, where everyone who wishes to speak will be heard by City Council prior to their final decision on the new OCP.