The municipality will revisit the urban growth strategy in the Official Community Plan.
On Monday, council gave early approval to the $65,000 cost of the review.
The existing Official Community Plan was adopted in 2008.
At that time, since plans were in the works for the Summerland Hills Golf Resort development, more than one-third of the community’s growth area was the site for the proposed development.
The development was expected to add around 1,700 housing units.
Early in 2010, the developers behind Summerland Hills chose to let the plan expire.
Discussions about a proposed development at the western edge of the municipality had been going on for 15 to 20 years and developers had spent more than $1 million on their plan.
When the plan expired, the municipality was left with no other areas set aside for future growth.
“It is no longer appropriate because of Summerland Hills,” said Mayor Janice Perrino. “We need to review and ask where are the best places for us to grow.”
“We’re not just looking at the next five years; we’re looking at 50 years,” said Coun. Orv Robson.
She added that the community plan should not be seen as a permanent document but rather as something static and fluid.
Perrino said she would like lots of public input during the review. She said she would like to see municipal officials and consultants speak with a few thousand people.
“We want to make sure there’s involvement,” she said.
The process to rework the bylaw to change the growth strategy is expected to take around a year.
On Monday, council gave early approval to the $65,000 cost of the review.
The existing Official Community Plan was adopted in 2008.
At that time, since plans were in the works for the Summerland Hills Golf Resort development, more than one-third of the community’s growth area was the site for the proposed development.
The development was expected to add around 1,700 housing units.
Early in 2010, the developers behind Summerland Hills chose to let the plan expire.
Discussions about a proposed development at the western edge of the municipality had been going on for 15 to 20 years and developers had spent more than $1 million on their plan.
When the plan expired, the municipality was left with no other areas set aside for future growth.
“It is no longer appropriate because of Summerland Hills,” said Mayor Janice Perrino. “We need to review and ask where are the best places for us to grow.”
“We’re not just looking at the next five years; we’re looking at 50 years,” said Coun. Orv Robson.
She added that the community plan should not be seen as a permanent document but rather as something static and fluid.
Perrino said she would like lots of public input during the review. She said she would like to see municipal officials and consultants speak with a few thousand people.
“We want to make sure there’s involvement,” she said.
The process to rework the bylaw to change the growth strategy is expected to take around a year.