Concerns have been raised about Lantzville’s official community plan review process and whether or not it has been transparent enough.
District councillors discussed the matter Monday and voted to direct staff to prepare a report for the OCP review committee to examine.
Lantzville’s OCP review process has been underway since last year and is being led by Lanarc Consultants. As part of the process, an official community plan review select committee, consisting of two councillors and eight residents, was formed in September with the aim of providing input throughout the review process.
On Monday, Coun. Denise Haime, who is on the committee, told councillors that she has received e-mails and heard complaints from numerous residents about the way the entire process has been conducted. She said some people have had their comments excluded from surveys and said there is a lack of transparency. She said she believes the district is not providing the committee with all the information available.
“For me, it puts this whole OCP process in question and it should for the residents of this community because there are some big questions being asked by residents, big questions being asked by members of the OCP committee, documents, letters, density being proposed at the 11th hour. These are big questions that I think everybody has the right to have answers to.”
However, Coun. Will Geselbracht said he has not heard any concerns from residents about the review process.
“My e-mail is on the district’s website as well as all the other councillors and the mayor. I haven’t seen the same outpouring according to Coun. Haime of people upset and wanting something,” he said.
Frank Limshue, the district’s community planner, said there were some verbatim responses that were not included in some of Lanarc’s reports, but he’s worked with the company and an updated report will be issued.
Councillors debated whether or not to have staff issue a report to council or the committee for further discussion.
Coun. Dot Neary, who is also on the committee, said the questions raised by Haime should be addressed in a staff report first because it’s the committee’s job to ensure the process continues properly.
“I don’t object to the idea of finding the answer to the questions that are being raised, I just think bringing a report back to council is not the way to do it,” she said.
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