Official Community Plan

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M c PHEE The Neighbourhood Centre designation for these lands is supportive of Courtenay’s long term growth vision given its strategic location within the heart of west Courtenay. Commercial and community amenities are within easy walking and cycling distance and more residential density could be accommodated to support transit frequency and use. Under the direction of the OCP, this area will undergo a significant land use change from the predominantly industrial uses of the past hundred years to a mix of residential, commercial, and light industrial uses in the future. Within these lands, uses that are similar to the Tin Town ‘live-work’ options will be available and encouraged to support a neighbourhood character that connects historical uses with future needs. This area is identified as a candidate for local area planning process and plan in order to provide more specific guidance to this centre as the community grows. TIN TOWN The Tin Town development was designed in the 1990s as a live-work community with residential units located above a range of permitted commercial, office, and light industrial uses. The adjacent industrial lands reflect the area’s historical location as ‘edge of town', an area characterized by wetlands and numerous watercourses all connecting to the Piercy creek. Today, this area of Courtenay is surrounded by residential developments of a variety of ages, some quite new, and is immediately adjacent to an expanding greenway network that will connect Puntledge River to the Comox Valley Parkway.

Neighbourhood Centre Area-Specific Profiles and Planning Directions LAKE TRAIL The Lake Trail neighbourhood today includes a range of medium density, affordable housing options within the context of older suburban lots and some larger rural residential properties. The Lake Trail Community School has offered recreational programming opportunities to the wider community for over a decade and the Roy Morrison Park and connections to regional greenways provide enviable access to nature at the neighbourhood’s doorstep. The Arden and Morrison Creeks that flow through and near this centre are also home to a federally listed endangered fish species. The Morrison Creek Lamprey is found nowhere else in the world. The Neighbourhood Centre designation for these lands is supportive of Courtenay’s long-term growth vision given its existing mix and density of uses, access to recreational amenities, and opportunities for further partnership with the School District to provide more recreational services to west Courtenay. Under the direction of the OCP, this area will continue to support medium to higher density residential and mixed uses in order to create a vibrant neighbourhood centre along the city’s western boundary. This area is identified as a candidate for local area planning process and plan in order to provide more specific guidance to this centre as the community grows including how best to protect and restore fish habitat and Environmentally Sensitive Areas .

City of Courtenay Official Community Plan