2024 Annual Report Draft

Land use policies and procedures

Complete communities The provincial government awarded a $150,000 grant to the City to complete the community assessment report presented to Council in December 2024. The funds were made available to municipalities municipalities in 2024 to use GIS technology in analyzing the spatial distribution of services. This will identify what will be required to create a complete community while accommodating the City’s projected 20-year growth. A complete community is one in which a diverse range of housing is available and attainable to meet identified community needs, allowing people at all stages of life to find suitable accommodations. Additionally, a complete community provides a wider range of employment opportunities, amenities and services within a 15- to 20-minute walk. The Complete Communities Growth Assessment produced several key technical findings to guide Courtenay’s growth management. It also provides a framework for ongoing proactive planning processes to support evidence-based decision-making around land use. One key finding is that Courtenay is growing faster than estimated in the 2022 Official Community Plan (OCP) update. Approximately 10,000 additional people are now expected by 2041, bringing the total estimated population to 42,415 — a 43 per cent increase. Infrastructure deficiencies have been identified that will affect where growth can occur until the necessary infrastructure is built. The Complete Communities Growth Assessment will be a key resource in informing updates to the OCP, Zoning Bylaw and key master servicing plans in 2025.

Downtown Vitalization Local Area Plan The City initiated a local area planning process for the Downtown Vitalization Local Area Plan (DVLAP) in 2024 and began engaging with the community. The DVLAP aims to create a complete and connected downtown with a higher residential population. It will focus on public gathering spaces through public place-making throughout the plan area and foster collaboration for success. To develop an overarching and complete downtown plan, the Local Area Plan for the Harmston Park neighbourhood and the Downtown Courtenay Playbook implementation were combined. Once adopted, the DVLAP will become part of the OCP and will focus on: • Identifying lands for growth, density and the character of new development. • Infrastructure needs. • A master plan for Harmston Park. • Key place-making projects to be included in future financial planning and implementation.

5th Street, Courtenay

City of Courtenay | 2024 Annual Report

24