The City of Nelson has released the first draft of its updated Official Community Plan (OCP) with the final phase of public engagement now underway.
City staff presented the updated draft to council on Tuesday. The public engagement period commenced on January 22 and will remain open for three weeks.
The OCP, which hasn’t been updated since 2013, serves as the city’s highest level planning document.
It guides future land use, developments, and amenities, acting as a roadmap for addressing key issues like housing, transportation, and economic development.
Beyond its regulatory role, the OCP fosters sustainable growth by managing population changes, urban expansion, and infrastructure investments.
The OCP planning process began in March 2023 and has included two rounds of public engagement.
The first phase was held in the summer of 2023; city staff said this phase helped define the community’s vision and develop the plan’s foundational values.
The second round of engagement took place in the spring of 2024 and provided direction on policy intentions.
According to city staff, the final phase of engagement is critical to ensuring the OCP captures the community’s vision.
Once the final phase of public engagement closes, staff will analyze the feedback and prepare a second draft before returning to council for the plan’s first and second readings, which could occur as early as April.
Provincial legislation requires all municipalities to update their OCP by the end of 2025, in addition to updating zoning bylaws to reflect the direction of their new OCP.
The city hopes to adopt the OCP by the end of May.
You can find the draft OCP, and more information on how to provide feedback here.
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