Residents are being welcomed to the Bear Pit by the Northern Rockies regional municipal council, who are seeking public feedback for the final time on the newest iteration of a pillar document.
The municipality’s Official Community Plan must be updated once every five years, according to the B.C. government, who mandated it two years ago. Fort Nelson’s existing plan was produced in 2011.
“An OCP establishes the long-term community vision, goals and policies used to guide council decisions on how land is used and developed,” explained staff at the Northern Rockies regional municipality.
This Monday, Dec. 8, will be the final day the municipality will hear feedback before formally adopting the plan. It intends to improve the social needs and wellbeing of people in the area, as well as developing the community.
Regarding the social aspect, staff said Fort Nelson will focus on being kind, supportive, and accepting.
“(The OCP should) create and maintain safe spaces in the community where residents can experience a sense of place and belonging regardless of their gender, race, sexual orientation, or abilities,” they wrote.
“(The document aims to) encourage the use of design principles, such as street furniture and outdoor gathering places, along pedestrian routes to foster opportunities for social interaction.”
Development in Fort Nelson, and surrounding areas, will focus on ensuring the quality of an area is not diminished. What exactly this means varies depending on how a community is zoned – for example, visual appeal is considered important for development downtown, but residential developments are not explicitly said to be held to such a standard.
To speak at Monday’s public hearing, residents must be willing to disclose their name and address. The NRRM’s regulations say all comments are welcome, so long as they are relevant.
“The main function of regional council members this evening is to listen to the views of the public. It is not the function of the regional council at this public hearing to debate,” according to the guidelines.
Councillors are permitted to ask residents questions and after the meeting is over, they will decide whether to accept the document.
