What is an Official Community Plan (OCP)
Every municipality in British Columbia is required to have an OCP under the Local Government Act.
An OCP is a long-term strategy for land use management, development, and servicing. This document is created by the community in dialogue and is intended to serve as a statement of the objectives and policies of the local government, reflecting a long-term vision for the community. An OCP directs the growth and development of a community. It provides the objectives for the form and character of existing and proposed land uses and servicing requirements for the community.
Throughout the objectives, it must consider land use, transportation networks, current and anticipated housing needs, environmental sensitivities and hazards, future infrastructure needs, parks and recreational facilities, agricultural protection, economic development, arts and culture, to give shape and overall function to a municipality. The goals of an OCP are implemented through its zoning bylaw.
You can review the current version of our OCP online here.
Cranbrook 2042 – OCP Update
We are close to completing a revamp of our OCP, after a lengthy research, development and public engagement period. It is anticipated that the Cranbrook 2042 OCP be adopted by winter 2024.
The City of Cranbrook is developing a new OCP bylaw, bringing the previous OCP from 2006 to reflect the significant changes and provide a cohesive vision for Cranbrook’s future. Since 2022, the City of Cranbrook has been working collaboratively with Urban Systems Ltd. to develop a new OCP that reflects the current needs of the community and guides its growth and development over the next 20 years.
OCP Background – Public Engagement
Through the update process, we engaged with our consultant team at Urban Systems to help conduct a vital and thorough three-phase public engagement program over the last couple of years. You can review the ‘What We Heard’ reports from each phase: