An Integrated Community Sustainability Plan and OCP Sustainability Update for District of Highlands
Type of initiative
FCM Green Municipal Fund - Plans, Studies, Pilots
Sector
Multi-sector (Plans)
Project value$63,030
Project Type
Plan
Sub Sector
Sustainable Communities
Grant amount$31,515
Program type
GMF
Municipality
District of Highlands, BC
Status
Fully Disbursed
Population
2,482
Project timeline
2010 - 2013
Project number
10428
Description
The District of Highlands will build upon recent work by the community’s sustainability task force in order to develop an integrated community sustainability plan (ICSP) and to update its existing official community plan (OCP). The District, located near Victoria on Vancouver Island, is primarily rural and residential and benefits from large natural areas. The ICSP will be modelled after Whistler2020 and will address nine strategy areas, including buildings and sites, healthy community, economy and work, education and leisure, food, energy, land use and natural areas, transportation and mobility, and water and waste systems.
The purpose of this new planning framework is to increase local understanding of sustainability, as well as to create a shared vision, tools and measures of success that will guide the community towards a desired future. To involve more residents on a deeper level than in previous planning initiatives, Highlands intends to use an inclusive approach through personal and online connections. The project team will work closely with a Sustainability Strategy Advisory Committee that will provide ongoing input to the process and content review of the district’s existing plans, strategies, reports, and working documents. In partnership with the community, Highlands will draft descriptions of the current reality and descriptions of success, and will develop sustainability goals, timeframes and priority actions. A monitoring and reporting system will be created, as well as a triple bottom line decision-making framework for staff and Council. The community will use gap analysis to produce recommendations to support alignment of the ICSP with the OCP and associated policies in order to achieve the community’s vision and goals.
(Project description from original funding application)
Applicant
District of Highlands, BC