Cumberland has adopted a new Official Community Plan that will guide how the Village grows and changes over the coming decades.

Council approved the plan following a community planning process that began in the spring of 2023.

“Cumberland’s new OCP, its goals, policies and vision for the Village truly encapsulate what Cumberland is all about,” says Mayor Vickey Brown. “Retaining the feeling of living in a Village as we grow was central to this work and Council members are grateful to the residents and businesses who took part in the review process. Residents attended open houses and online meetings, filled in surveys, posted comments online, and made written submissions along with attending the public hearing. Their participation provided valuable input that led to the creation of a plan that reflects the voices of the community now and into the future.”

The review included open houses, online meetings, surveys, written submissions, and a public hearing, giving residents and businesses multiple ways to provide input.

Other local municipalities have been working on or have finalized plans in the last several months.

An Official Community Plan is a municipality’s primary long-range policy document.

It guides municipal decision-making on issues such as financial planning, infrastructure investment, and strategic priorities.

The new Cumberland OCP also outlines where future development can occur.

The Village says the plan shows there is enough land to support Cumberland’s 20-year housing need of about 1,350 units.

Several updates reflect changing conditions since the previous plan, which had been in place for about a decade.

Much of the earlier data was outdated, and new issues had emerged that required updated policies.

Highlights include a new vision statement and goals, stronger policies supporting reconciliation with First Nations, and a single industry land-use designation that allows both industrial and commercial uses.

The plan also introduces an urban containment boundary to keep most new residential growth close to the village core and limit urban sprawl.

The Official Community Plan is available at Village of Cumberland.

For more information about the planning process that led up to the adoption of the OCP, visit Engage Comox Valley.