The Rural Municipality has undertaken a review of the Official Plan and Bylaw pursuant to section 15.1 of the Planning Act, and intends to adopt a new Official Plan and Zoning & Subdivision Control (Development) Bylaw.
A final Public Meeting was held at 6 PM on Tuesday, January 23, 2023 at the Victoria Historic Schoolhouse, at which all community members, residents and interested parties were invited and welcome to make representations regarding the proposed Official Plan and Land Use Bylaw. Residents unable to attend were invited to submit input in writing. A record of the comments received will be kept as part of permanent municipal records.
Official Plan Review - Documents
MOST RECENT drafts (Not yet approved):
Official Plan AS RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL - 2024.02.05
Development Bylaw AS RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL - 2024.02.05
Existing Official Plan and Bylaw (currently in effect)
Victoria Official Plan - 2014
Victoria Development Bylaw - 2014
Zoning Map
Public Engagement Materials (Archive, from 2019-2023)
2019.08.22 Public Meeting Powerpoint
2020.08.14 Public Meeting Powerpoint
2020.06.19 Summary of Major Changes (between the current 2014 bylaw, and the 2020 draft)
2022.06.10 Official Plan - Public DRAFT
2022.06.10 Development Bylaw - Public DRAFT
In late 2022, the Development Officer requested, and Council initiated, a legal review of the draft Official Plan and Development Bylaw.
The planning board met in closed sessions throughout 2023 to review the substantial legal advice received on the 2022 drafts.
The new draft based on those discussions was published and discussed publicly at an open meeting of the Planning Board on 5 December, 2023, and at that meeting, further input was received from the municipality’s Development Officer, a consulting planner, and members of the public.
At that meeting (December 5), the planning board approved creation of a new draft based on the input discussed, and scheduled a public review meeting for January 2024.
A public meeting took place on January 23 to receive public comments on the final drafts.
The Planning Board met on January 30, 2024, to discuss how to amend the plan based on public comments received. The meeting records can be found here. Based on input received at the public meeting, the Planning Board made final edits to the plan before recommending to Council that it be adopted.
Background Analysis
Official Plan Review - Project Background
The Rural Municipality of Victoria first adopted an Official Plan and Development Bylaw nearly 20 years ago. In that time, the seaside community has become a busy tourist destination and a hub for local arts.
The most recent Official Plan and Development Bylaw review was completed in 2014 and Council has made several amendments and updates since that time.
While the Plan has worked well for its time, it is not a document that should be set in stone; rather the Plan is a living document that should adapt to remain current with contemporary issues, legislative changes, and the evolving vision of the community. The provincial planning act requires municipalities to update their Official Plans every 5 years.
Here’s a summary of the history of the project.
2019 - The official plan review was first started on schedule in July 2019, with Upland consultants being brought on to do public consultation and drafting of the plan. In August 2019 they conducted a public meeting to gather community input, with the intention of finalizing a plan by March 2020.
2020 - In Feburary 2020, a summary of the themes resulting from public engagement was produced. In June 2020, a draft Official Plan was presented to the public, along with a Summary of Major Changes from the 2014 bylaw. On August 14, 2020, an informal ‘Open House’, followed by a formal Public Meeting, was held to discuss the draft. The input from that meeting was gathered and taken to Planning Board for discussion of potential edits.
2021 - The Planning Board made edits to the document, based on the feedback gathered in late 2020.
2022 - According to Planning Board minutes:
February: the Planning Board felt ready to present the updated official plan to Council for adoption.
March: the Planning Board was informed by the provincial government that another public meeting was required to meet the requirements of the provincial planning act, because the draft had changed substantially. That public meeting took place on March 16, 2022.
Late-March and May, 2022: the Planning Board met and decided on changes to some aspects of zoning within the draft document.
June: an updated version of the draft was created
July: a public consultation meeting on the new draft took place.
September: Plnanning Board recommended to Council (on advice of the Development Officer) that a legal review of the Official Plan draft take place.
In November, Council elections occurred.
In 2023, with a new Council and Planning Board in place, and a legal review complete, the Planning Board worked, in monthly closed meetings beginning in the spring, through the 20 pages of legal advice received (the content of which will remain confidential under solicitor-client privilege). The Planning Board made a number of changes, and in December 2023 they met in an open meeting to review an updated draft, which the approved to bring forward to a public meeting in January 2024.
“Vision 2035”, the review the Municipality’s Official Plan and Development Bylaw, should be looked at as an exciting opportunity to reaffirm the vision for the future of the Municipality and to tackle change in a holistic way.
It is an opportunity to review the expectations of residents, and put tools in place to meet these expectations. It is an opportunity to prepare for and plan for an aging population while welcoming new residents to the community. It is an opportunity to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change. And it is an opportunity to ensure the community is developing in an efficient and sustainable manner.
The Process from here
The Public Meeting (Jan 23, 2024) is mandated by the Planning Act. It is about gathering public input in an open and transparent way. A record of public comments is kept as part of the permanent municipal record. No votes/decisions on amendments will be made at the public meeting.
Planning Board Meeting (Jan 30, 2024) will be open to the public as observers. This is where the Planning Board members will jointly discuss the public input gathered, and vote to make any final adjustments to the draft plan and development bylaw, based on that public input. If the Planning Board feels that the document is ready, they can recommend to Council that the Plan and Bylaw be adopted.
Council must then adopt the Official Plan, and send it for approval to the Province. The provincial department of Communities, Land and Environment will assess the plan against their criteria and, should it meet their required criteria, approve the plan. The timelines are unclear on this provincial step.
To approve the Development Bylaw, it must have two readings at separate meetings of Council, and be approved both times. It can only go into effect after the official plan is approved by the province.