OCP Amendment
What is the Official Community Plan (OCP)?
When a land development proposal is not consistent with the Official Community Plan (OCP), OCP policies or designations need to be amended by Council.
The approval process for an OCP Amendment is similar to a Zoning Amendment Application – a bylaw amendment and a Public Hearing are required before Council adopts an OCP Amendment. In some instances, an OCP Amendment must be made before a change to zoning can occur, and the amendment applications (OCP and Rezoning) typically occur in tandem.
The Official Community Plan is the formal document that is adopted by Council that establishes the vision, objectives, goals and priorities for how Squamish will grow and evolve looking forward. While the OCP is a high level document, it will have specific tools and policies to determine how the community should consider new development proposals. For example, there are policies that:
- Manage growth;
- Support Economic Development;
- Focus commercial activity downtown;
- Protect air quality and the natural environment;
- Support transportation alternatives
Amending the OCP
When Council assess new development proposals, they are required to determine whether the project is consistent with the OCP. This is done by considering the proposal based on its designation in the Land Use Schedule, and through an OCP policy assessment that is done by Planning staff. Amendments to the OCP are carefully assessed, as each new proposal should help contribute to the community achieving its visions and goals.
There are some occasions where a proposal is consistent with the goals and visions of the OCP, but is in conflict with the existing OCP land use designation or specific OCP policies. In this instance, an OCP amendment may be required.
To view the OCP Land Use Designation Schedule B, view the Official Community Plan.
If you have more questions about amending the Official Community Plan, please contact the Development Services Clerk at 604-815-5002 or planning@squamish.ca
