Residents of Oak Bay will have another chance to provide input and discuss the latest draft of the Oak Bay Official Community Plan (OCP) on Saturday May 31stat the Oak Bay Recreation Centre between 1pm and 4pm. This is the last scheduled public consultation event for residents to review and comment on the current draft OCP. The 2014 OCP builds on the foundation of the 1997 OCP and will serve as a key planning tool setting out municipal policies to help guide and adapt to evolving community needs over the long term. Following the Open House, a revised draft will be presented to Council in early June and will be posted on the municipal website over the summer for residents to review. It is expected that a public hearing will be scheduled in September.

"OCP renewal is a priority for this Council," said Oak Bay Mayor Nils Jensen, who also has participated on the OCP Project Advisory Committee along with other Council members and residents. "The renewal of Oak Bay’s OCP provides a community-wide opportunity for Oak Bay residents to be meaningfully involved in managing growth in a realistic way and shaping our community’s future."

The Chair of the OCP Project Advisory Committee, Councillor Pam Copley, acknowledges the extraordinary level of skill and commitment on the part of the Committee’s citizen volunteers who have devoted hundreds of hours taking up the challenge to bring the community together to create a common vision for Oak Bay. "Our goal throughout this 18 month process has been to encourage community input that informs and creates an inclusive, forwarding–looking vision for Oak Bay for years to come. Through the hard work and dedication of the OCP Project Advisory Committee, the 2014 OCP will be an important planning tool to guide Council decision making on priorities residents have identified." The draft OCP captures how Oak Bay residents envision Oak Bay and articulates the critical factors that will shape our community in the future. Of particular interest are increased housing options, environmental protection, alternative forms of transportation, heritage conservation, preservation of streetscapes and neighbourhoods, and climate change.

Community engagement and participation has been critical to the success of this process. "We are very grateful for the time and enthusiasm that all Oak Bay residents have given to the OCP to date," said Councillor Copley. "The community clearly values the importance of refreshing the 1997 OCP to help us respond in 2014 and beyond to the complexities and sensitivities of managing the future growth of Oak Bay."

For up-to-date information on the OCP renewal please attend the OCP Open House on May 31st at the Oak Bay Recreation Centre and review the most recent 2014 OCP draft on the OCP page of the Oak Bay municipal website.