Well first of all, I hope everyone had a nice, relaxed festive season this year. I know how busy it can be with family, jobs and all the other stresses of everyday life and the holiday season. Cheers to you with the hope that you got some quality time to reflect on this past year.
It has been a very busy year at city hall, and being on your council sure puts you on the front line of most things going on in town, or should I say “city.”
The pressure of huge growth booming along causes many, many strains on us all.
One thing that we as a council and staff have been working on is the Official Community Plan (OCP) update. Now you do not want to take the OCP lightly. Some say it is just a land-use document, but it is far more than that.
I was on the committee that formed the 1998 OCP 20 years ago and on the committee that formed the 2005 OCP, which is the one we are using now.
Staff over the past two years have worked very hard to reach out to community agencies and organizations, schools groups, seniors, first nations, industry, businesses, residents and many others. This plan pretty much covers all aspects of living in this progressive city. There are categories of policy in this document that will help direct development and growth for years to come.
The OCP is organized around five goals:
1] Resilient Squamish (innovative development, manage natural hazard risks and diversified economic growth to mention a few topics).
2] Liveable Squamish (phase smart growth, preserve employment lands, enhance recreation)
3] Healthy Squamish (protect natural environment , enhance local food systems, consider health impacts in decision making).
4] Connected Squamish (feel a senses of community across all cultures and generations, improve all forms of transportation, improved digital access).
5] Engaged Squamish (ongoing engagement opportunities in decision making, improve access to info, advanced reconciliation).
These are just a few examples of these goals and are just the tip of the iceberg that this OCP speaks to across all aspects of our community. So please go online to Squamish.ca/OCP or drop into City Hall to view a copy for we still want your input.
I cannot say enough about the job staff have done, in the 25 years I have been involved in Squamish, this document takes the cake.
