White Rock council signs off on 13 goals

Official Community Plan review defines 'big picture' as second phase wraps up.

White Rock city staffer Chris McBeath speaks with a group of residents taking part in a neighbourhood workshop Sept. 17, where the group helped to draft vision and goal statements for the Official Community Plan review.

White Rock city staffer Chris McBeath speaks with a group of residents taking part in a neighbourhood workshop Sept. 17, where the group helped to draft vision and goal statements for the Official Community Plan review.

The City of White Rock has wrapped up the second phase of its Official Community Plan update, after council voted unanimously to endorse several objectives to act as a “foundational framework” for the new plan.

In a progress report Monday, director of planning Karen Cooper shared highlights of Phase 2 of the process, which got underway in August and was described as ‘defining the big picture.’

Cooper said staff undertook a variety of consultation measures over the past three months, including neighbourhood workshops, an open house and an online survey. The public was presented with draft statements addressing various aspects of the community, and were asked to provide any revisions or comments on the visions.

What resulted was a draft vision statement – and 13 goal statements – presented to council for endorsement Monday.

The vision statement, which looks ahead to White Rock in 2045, describes the city as “beautiful, distinctive and engaged,” noting residents enjoy an “extraordinary quality of life,” citing temperate climate, safe neighbourhoods, a thriving town centre and recreational amenities among the perks of living in the community.

The 13 goal statements touch on a range of topics, including community character, housing, environmental management and economic development.

Staff will now embark on Phase 3 – ‘building the plan’ – which includes developing draft strategies and policies, and undertaking focus-group consultations.

Cooper noted regular meetings of the OCP working group – a collection of community residents and stakeholders, to which former mayor Hardy Staub and resident James Quayle were recently added – to assist in this phase.

The third phase is expected to wrap up in July 2016, with adoption of the new OCP anticipated next December.

The report is online at www.whiterockcity.ca/imaginewhiterock

Peace Arch News