Anmore South Community Engagement

An OCP amendment and Neighbourhood Plan process involves multiple jurisdictions, process steps and decision points.

The following overview of the planning and regulatory process highlights the general requirements from submission of the application to final approvals before development can take place. It is important to note, that there are also multiple steps to complete each requirement.

The planning process itself can take several years, and if approved, a development of this scope is generally implemented in a phased manner over 25+ years.

KEY DECISION POINTS OVERVIEW

Council Gives First Reading to OCP Amendment Bylaw No. 686-2023

At the Regular Council Meeting on December 5, 2023, Council gave first reading to the Official Community Plan (OCP) Amendment Bylaw No. 686-2023, which relates to icona Properties Ltd.’s application for the Anmore South lands, which was submitted in May 2023. First reading starts a comprehensive exploratory process to consider the amendment and what it means to Anmore.

It’s important to note that First Reading does not mean Council will approve the proposed amendment. This multiple-step process will take time, as it involves a broad range of studies and assessments – from traffic analysis, infrastructure impacts, environmental and archeological impacts, to amenity requirements and financial considerations. As well, this application would require a change to the regional land use designation, which involves a comprehensive review process, including consultation with the community as a priority along with additional analysis of how the development could affect the community.

As an initial step to gain additional insight into what is being proposed and what the process would involve, Council held a Committee of the Whole meeting on January 9, 2024. Representatives from Metro Vancouver, Placemark Design Studio (icona’s community planning consultants) and Mickelson Consulting Inc. attended the meeting to share their expertise and respond to questions.

Council Approves Community Engagement Plan

At the February 20, 2024 Regular Council meeting, Council approved the Community Engagement Plan recommendations submitted by Mickelson Consulting Inc. The community engagement is focused on the OCP Amendment Bylaw No. 686-2023 and the Anmore South Neighbourhood Plan proposed by icona. These recommendations provide a guide for how the Village will inform and engage the community. The targeted outcomes, primary audiences and methodology are designed to support an informed community and to provide opportunities to ask questions and share ideas, input and feedback.

While icona has done its own community engagement on its application, the Village has not yet started its own process. A Village-led process is an important part of the review, consideration and decision-making for an application like the one put forward for Anmore South, along with technical studies and other inputs.

The primary audience is the Anmore community, including residents, Anmore Committee members and local organizations. Other interested and affected organizations would also be included in the engagement process. The recommended approach includes adhering to International Association of Public Participation (IAP2) values and principles for community engagement, and providing multiple opportunities for residents and other interested audiences to stay informed and share their input.

This includes sharing information about the process and what is being learned through studies, analysis and discussion, with subject matter experts available to share their findings and answer questions. The Village will use a mix of tactics to communicate, including the Anmore Advisor, direct mail, email notifications and the Village website and Facebook page.

To hear from the community, the approach includes multiple methods for individuals and organizations to provide their input, including workshops, neighbourhood meetings, open houses, surveys and feedback forms.

It’s also important to report back to the community on what was learned through the engagement and how that information is being applied. The community engagement timing will align with the planning process underway.

Council Approves Neighbourhood Plan Terms of Reference

At the Regular Council Meeting on December 5, 2023, Council gave first reading to the Official Community Plan (OCP) Amendment Bylaw No. 686.2023, which relates to icona Properties Ltd.’s application for the Anmore South lands. First reading starts a comprehensive exploratory process to consider the amendment and what it means to Anmore.

In addition to the process to consider the OCP Bylaw amendment, a Neighbourhood Plan is also being developed, which outlines in more detail what can – and cannot – be included in future development. The Terms of Reference that will guide the development of the Neighbourhood Plan were approved by Council at the March 19, 2024 Council Meeting.