The City of Courtenay has a new Official Community Plan, adopted by council earlier this week.

The City of Courtenay has a new Official Community Plan, adopted by council earlier this week.

The adoption followed a public hearing in June and other bylaw procedures, and concludes nearly three years of research, analysis, and consultation with community partners and the wider community on what’s important to Courtenay now and in the future.

Courtenay’s OCP is symbolized by a compass which identifies the four core directions of the plan: reconciliation, community well-being, equity, and climate action.

An OCP guides a wide range of land use and other municipal decisions, ensuring they are influenced by a comprehensive community vision.

It informs all City operations, services, programs, and development approvals.

Courtenay’s OCP includes hundreds of specific policies on a wide range of municipal and community systems such as affordable housing, buildings and construction, transportation, municipal infrastructure, parks and recreation, social infrastructure, arts, culture and heritage, food systems, the local economy, and protection of the environment.

Courtenay Mayor Bob Wells says the OCP provides a strong foundation for all city decision-making.

A number of Zoning Amendment Bylaws were also approved at council, designed to support affordable housing throughout Courtenay, as well as active transportation.

They include adding secondary suites as a permitted use in all traditionally single-residential homes, bike parking requirements and reduced vehicle parking for multi-residential dwellings.