Draft Westside OCP

The Regional District of Central Okanagan is in the process of updating the Official Community Plan (OCP) policies that guide land use decisions on the Westside.

The first draft of the new Westside Official Community Plan has been released for public review after extensive input from government agencies, advisory groups, Regional District staff, and the public.

“The development of the new OCP began with establishing the goals of the community. From those objectives the future land use policies and designations were developed,” says Ilene Watson, Regional District Planner. “It is important that we have relevant policies to guide us in making decisions in the future.”

In updating the community plan, Planning Services staff referred to public comments received in last fall’s Official Community Plan questionnaire and public information meeting, along with input from community agencies such as the Westbank and District Chamber of Commerce, Irrigation Districts and School District No. 23.

The information process continues with a Public Open House on Wednesday April 28th between 6 and 9 pm at the Mount Boucherie Community Hall (2760 Cameron Road). Watson says, “The results of this input process will be used to refine and fine tune the document preparing it for the process of bylaw adoption.”

The new Westside Official Community Plan will apply to an area generally from Bear Creek south to the Okanagan Connector (including but not limited to West Kelowna Estates, Lakeview, Westbank, Smith Creek, Shannon Lake and Glenrosa) and represents a consolidation of two current OCP’s: the Westbank and Lakeview Official Community Plans.

Written comments are welcome and can be provided to the Regional District Planning Services Department during the month of April, as well as at the April 28th Public Open House.