A developer can propose a project. The City and its residents should plan the community.

Developer-initiated OCP amendments

Show meaningful alternatives before selecting a preferred direction.

For a material OCP amendment, residents should see the existing plan, one or more applicant concepts and a City-planned alternative where useful. Planning scenarios are enough if they clearly show the tradeoffs.

Use the full process for material amendments, not housekeeping changes.

First Street Municipal Park

This looks like a park because people already use it as one. Let’s make it permanent.

Convert the City-owned East First lands between Lonsdale and St. Georges into a permanent municipal park and amend the OCP and zoning accordingly.

• Before redesignation, publish an updated housing-capacity calculation.
• Show that the City remains compliant after removing the site’s residential capacity.
• Protect the land as a permanent public park.

Exact parcel descriptions, site capacity and the final legal protection mechanism remain subject to verification before precise claims are published.

Public land should not be developed merely because it was counted as theoretical housing capacity when the City can meet its housing obligations elsewhere.

Keep Public Land Public

Treat public land as a long-term civic asset.

Public land should not be sold simply to solve short-term development or financial pressure. Where development is appropriate, prefer tools that preserve public ownership.

Do not claim a completed sale can simply be reversed. Closed transactions require lawful remedies.

Growth and infrastructure

Ask what today’s decision will mean in 20 or 30 years.

Link population growth to a long-term plan for roads, utilities, parks, recreation, transportation, public safety and community services.

• Show construction cost.
• Show operating and lifecycle cost.
• Explain financing.
• Include the value and opportunity cost of public land.
• Show the effect on future taxpayers.

Can we build this now, and what will it mean in 20 or 30 years?