The Qualicum Beach Residents’ Association will host a public information meeting on Friday, April 4 at 3 p.m. to provide information to residents on a proposed amendment to the town’s Official Community Plan.
The QBRA said in a news release the meeting at the Seniors Centre on Memorial Avenue is open to all.
In the news release, the QBRA said the OCP was adopted in 2011 “after thousands of hours of citizen participation, including an extensive Quality of Life Survey, public workshops, open houses and public meetings.”
Town council is expected to vote on Monday, April 7 to expand the OCP’s growth containment boundary, which he QBRA said limits urban sprawl and focuses development within well-defined areas of the town.
“The town should conduct a substantive public review of the Official Community Plan with the participation of residents before considering a significant OCP change like this,” said QBRA spokesman and vice-president, Dave Golson. “Our Board does not agree that the single information meeting on the proposed amendment, organized by the town on March 4, provided sufficient opportunity for the public to consider its implications. That meeting was not well advertised and did not have the benefit of clearly explained background information for local residents to consider. As volunteers, we would prefer that the town conduct a substantive OCP review process but, in the absence of this, we are doing what we can.”
The QBRA release said the March 4 meeting was attended by 40 residents.
“The summary of written opinions provided by participants at this meeting revealed significant concern by most people who attended,” said Golson. “We agree with those councilors who have said that the matter is not well understood by the public.”
— NEWS Staff/QBRA news release
