A bylaw to adopt the Official Community Plan
WHEREAS the Local Government Act authorizes a local government to have community plans prepared or revised from time to time;
WHEREAS the Local Government Act authorizes a local government by bylaw to designate any community plan which has been prepared under Section 877 of the Local Government Act as an Official Community Plan;
NOW THEREFORE the Municipal Council of the Village of Anmore in open meeting assembled enacts as follows:
1) This bylaw may be cited for all purposes as “Village of Anmore Official Community Plan Designation Bylaw No. 373, 2004”.
2) Schedules 1, A, B, and C attached hereto to this Bylaw form an integral part of this Bylaw.
3) If any division, section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase of this Bylaw is for any reason held to be invalid by the decision of a court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of the Bylaw.
4) This Bylaw applies to all areas within the Village of Anmore.
5) “Village of Anmore Official Community Plan Designation Bylaw No. 232, 1998”, and amendments thereto, as adopted by Municipal Council of the Village of Anmore is hereby repealed.
RECONSIDERED AND FINALLY ADOPTED this 12th day of April , 2005.
REGIONAL CONTEXT STATEMENT accepted by the Greater Vancouver Regional District Board of Directors this 1st day of April, 2005
SCHEDULE 1 to BYLAW NO. 373, 2004
VILLAGE OF ANMORE
OFFICIAL COMMUNITY PLAN
Adopted: April 12, 2005
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.0 INTRODUCTION1.1 WHAT IS AN OFFICIAL COMMUNITY PLAN?1.2 WHAT A PLAN CAN AND CANNOT DO
1.3 ORGANIZATION OF THE OFFICIAL COMMUNITY PLAN
1.4 ADMINISTRATIVE ITEMS2.0 GROWTH MANAGEMENT STRATEGY2.1 GENERAL
2.2 CONTEXT FOR STRATEGY 2.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STRATEGY
2.3.1 Protect the Semi-Rural Character of the Village
2.3.2 Protect the Natural Environment 2.3.3 Deliver Services in a Cost-Efficient Manner
2.4 FUNDAMENTAL APPROACH3.0 REGIONAL CONTEXT STATEMENT
3.1 PREAMBLE 3.2 PROTECTING THE GREEN ZONE
3.3 BUILDING COMPLETE COMMUNITIES
3.4 COMPACT METROPOLITAN REGION3.5 INCREASE TRANSPORTATION CHOICES
3.6 IMPLEMENTATION3.6.1 Partnership
3.6.2 Acceptance 4.0 POLICIES
4.1 LAND USE POLICIES 4.1.1
Residential 4.1.2 Commercial/Industrial 4.1.3
Recreational and Institutional
4.2 TRANSPORTATION POLICIES
4.2.1 Major Roads 4.2.2 Minor Collector Roads 4.2.3
Local Roads 4.2.4 David Avenue 4.2.5
Transit 4.3 MUNICIPAL SERVICING POLICIES
4.3.1 Water Supply 4.3.2 Sewage Disposal
4.3.3 Drainage 4.3.4 Solid Waste Disposal
4.4 ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES 4.4.1
General Approach 4.4.2 Watersheds 4.4.3 Creeks4.4.4 Floodplain4.4.5 Steep Slopes4.4.6 Tree Retention4.4.7 Wetlands
5.0 MAP SCHEDULES5.1 GENERAL
5.2 SCHEDULE A - LAND USE MAP5.2.1 Residential Area (R)
5.2.2 Limited Use (LU) 5.2.3 Watershed (WS)5.2.4 Park (P)
5.2.5 Industrial (I)5.2.6 Zoning Changes
5.3 SCHEDULE B1 AND B2 — ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREAS
5.4 SCHEDULE C — GREEN ZONE LANDS 6.0 IMPLEMENTATION
6.1 BYLAWS 6.2 TREE
PROTECTION BYLAWS 6.3 AGENCY LIAISON 6.4
WATERCOURSE INVENTORY 6.5 COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS
6.6 PLAN REVIEW
1.0 INTRODUCTION1.1 WHAT IS AN OFFICIAL COMMUNITY PLAN?Community Plans have become a useful and widely adopted policy tool of municipal governments for land use planning. A plan provides a degree of certainty about the location and nature of community change to residents and landowners as well as serving as a guide for municipal Councils when they make decisions regarding development, zoning and providing the required services to accommodate growth. A Community Plan can provide neighbourhoods with the certainty that they need to remain stable living environments. The policies of a Community Plan can also help to guide the decisions of the building industry in a positive way. They are intended to reflect a broad consensus of opinion molded into a framework for future development and a strategy for managing future growth of the community over a five to ten year period.
In British Columbia, all Official Community Plans (OCPs) are prepared and adopted within the statutory provisions of the Local Government Act. The Local Government Act prescribes the general content of Official Community Plans and also sets out a formal procedure for adopting a Plan. This Plan has been prepared and adopted in accordance with the requirements of the Local Government Act and is, therefore, considered a legal document.
1.2 WHAT A PLAN CAN AND CANNOT DOThe requirements or legislated content of an Official Community Plan are set out in Section 877 of the Local Government Act. The Act outlines a broad framework with which the Community Plan must comply, essentially a statement of goals, objectives and policies. In stating the goals, objectives and policies, the Plan is intended to guide future growth, not to regulate. The Zoning Bylaw will be the primary tool to regulate development, not the Plan.
A Plan’s major purpose is to provide some degree of certainty to both the residents of Anmore and the building industry. The Plan can only encourage senior levels of government to take action, but cannot force or require senior governments to act. Furthermore, although the Plan cannot commit Council to specific expenditures, Council cannot enact bylaws or endorse actions that are contrary to the Plan.
1.3 ORGANIZATION OF THE OFFICIAL COMMUNITY PLANThe Plan is divided into six (6) distinct sections. The section that follows this introduction is the Growth Management Strategy, which essentially establishes in broad terms the fundamental approach for planning the growth of the community. Section 3 contains the Regional Context Statement (RCS) that describes the relationship between the OCP and the GVRD’s Strategic Plan. The fourth section outlines the land use, transportation, municipal services, and environmental policies that the Council will utilize to manage the growth of the community. Section 5 provides a description of the various map schedules that accompany the text of this Plan. The last section contains a number of actions and measures that the Village Council will pursue with respect to implementing the Plan.
1.4 ADMINISTRATIVE ITEMSSection 877(1) of the Local Government Act establishes a number of topics that the Official Community Plan must address. Given the unique rural residential character of the Village, a number of these topics have not been covered in this Plan, as they have been deemed to be irrelevant, in particular those items pertaining to sand and gravel deposits.
Definitions of specific items are not provided in this Plan. All words should be interpreted based upon the common meaning that they would take on during the normal course of conversation.
2.0 GROWTH MANAGEMENT STRATEGY2.1 GENERALAs an Official Community Plan is intended to provide a generalized “course of action” regarding future land use and development, the key element of the plan is the strategy by which future growth is to be managed. Again, it is important to distinguish between a zoning bylaw that regulates development and Official Community Plan that guides future development.
2.2 CONTEXT FOR STRATEGYOver the next 5-10 years, development activity in the Village will likely be limited to residential dwelling units, therefore the strategy tends to focus on managing new residential growth. The critical question then becomes, how much growth is expected to occur over the next 5-10 years.
Over the last 10 years, the community has averaged approximately 15 – 20 new units per year, generally considered as a period of moderate to high growth in relation to previous years. Given the expected continued strong demand for housing in the overall region and the alternative lifestyle that Anmore has to offer, housing demand in Anmore is predicted to continue to be strong. The following chart provides new housing requirements over the next 5-10 years based on three (3) different growth scenarios.
Low Growth Medium Growth High Growth 20 units/yr 35 units/yr 50 units/yr 200 units 350 units 500 units by the year 2013 by the year 2013 by the year 2013
At present, there are not enough vacant residential lots to accommodate the housing long term demand. Therefore it can be expected that during the time frame of this Plan, that applications will be submitted to the Village for the subdivision of land in order to meet this demand.
2.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STRATEGYSince the scope of an Official Community Plan is restricted to the provisions of the Local Government Act, the strategy outlined below pertains to only those matters that address land use, transportation, municipal services, and the environment. The following are the three (3) critical strategy objectives.
2.3.1 Protect the Semi-Rural Character of the VillageMost people live in the Village because of the community’s semi-rural character. This character expresses itself in terms of the lifestyles of the residents, that being relaxed “country type” living within minutes of urban amenities. This type of ambience and character is vitally important to Village residents, and must be respected as growth and development occurs over the next decade. Careful attention to landscaping, house design, building materials and colours, and environmental features will all contribute to a semi-rural character.
2.3.2 Protect the Natural EnvironmentA balance must be struck between land development and preservation of the natural environment. As stated above, many people have chosen Anmore as a place to live because of the natural features and vegetation that it offers and the opportunities for easy access to wilderness and outdoor recreation areas. To not be sensitive to the environment would endanger the very reason why people have decided to make Anmore their home. For this reason the Village will take an active role in environmental protection.
2.3.3 Deliver Services in Cost-efficient MannerThe success of a municipality is largely a function of how efficiently it can provide services to its residents. Due to the fact the Anmore is a semi-rural-type municipality, the Village provides a narrower range of services compared to those found in a more urban-type municipality and is largely based upon user - pay. Nevertheless, it is essential that these services be provided in a cost efficient manner.The development pattern of a municipality influences to a large extent the public expenditures that are required to service and support the population. Since an OCP is intended to guide the future development pattern, it can be used as a tool to promote the cost efficient delivery of services.
2.4 FUNDAMENTAL APPROACHThe fundamental theme of this Official Community Plan is to accommodate new growth in the Village on the basis that this growth occurs in a manner that is sensitive to the semi-rural character of the Village, to the natural environmental features within and surrounding the Village, and to the fiscal resources of the Village. Development proposals and senior government initiatives that do not meet these objectives will not be considered appropriate for the Village.The major changes that can be expected over the next decade is that land currently held in large acreages will be subdivided into smaller parcels. New homes will be built on these parcels that will in turn result in an increase in the population, a population that will consist of more families with children. With more families moving into the Village, the demand for municipal services will be increased, some of which will be provided by the Village, others of which will be delivered sub-regionally or regionally, as is the case with all municipalities in the Greater Vancouver Regional District.
3.0 REGIONAL CONTEXT STATEMENT3.1 PREAMBLESection 866 of the Local Government Act requires that Official Community Plans include a regional context statement. The purpose of a regional context statement is to demonstrate the ways in which the OCP supports the fundamental strategies of the Livable Region Strategic Plan (LRSP) and, where necessary, to specify how the OCP is to be made more consistent with the required growth strategy over time.The Livable Region Strategic Plan has four (4) fundamental principles that are intended to reflect the aforementioned set of value, briefly described as follows:
• Protect the green zone;• Build complete communities;• Achieve a compact metropolitan region; and• Increase transportation choice.The following is a brief description of how the Village of Anmore’s OCP relates to these four principles.
3.2 PROTECTING THE GREEN ZONE
The intent of the Livable Region Strategic Plan Green Zone policy is to protect Greater Vancouver’s natural assets and resource lands, and to do so by identifying Green Zone lands which are exempt from urban use and thereby establish a long term boundary for urban growth.
Within the Village of Anmore, the following parks have been included in the Livable Region Strategic Plan’s Green Zone:
a) B.C. Hydro’s Buntzen Lake Recreation Area; b) Indian Arm Provincial Park; and
c) portions of Belcarra Regional Park.
These areas and the waters of Indian Arm are part of the Park and Outdoor Recreation System (PORS) adopted by the GVRD Board in October 1995. A greenway planning process was undertaken to refine the system in the north-east sector.
Within the Official Community Plan, a Park designation has been applied to these areas to reflect the Green Zone classification.
An area along the eastern flank of the Village classified “Area Under Municipal Consideration” on the GVRD Green Zone Map is designated Watershed in the OCP and classified Watershed in the Zoning Bylaw. The Village had previously requested the GVRD to designate this area Green Zone thereby removing the Area Under Municipal Consideration classification.
The B.C. Hydro facility on Indian Arm is presently included within the Green Zone. The OCP designates the area Industrial and the area is zoned for hydro industrial uses in the Zoning Bylaw.
The policies pertaining to trail network planning and recognition of environmentally sensitive areas as outlined in Sections 4.1.3 and 4.4 support the Green Zone policies in the Regional Context Statement.
Schedule C identifies the Green Zone areas in the Village for the purposes of the GVRD Strategic Plan.
3.3 BUILDING COMPLETE COMMUNITIESThe Strategic Plan encourages municipalities to increase community diversity, create opportunities for residents to live and work in the same community, provide for a wide range of housing types, create social, cultural and commercial opportunities for its residents, and promote mixed use activity centres. While recognizing its small size and isolated location, the Village has some potential to contribute to the realization of the LRSP objectives for more complete communities by accommodating home-based businesses, secondary suites, and a variety of lot sizes. The Official Community Plan also speaks to a different type of complete community for Anmore, being a community that blends in with its natural settings, a community that values its open spaces, a community that promotes a friendly social spirit, and a community that prides itself in being financially sustainable.
3.4 COMPACT METROPOLITAN REGIONThe Strategic Plan encourages the management of new growth in the region to be directed to the Growth Concentration Area, which essentially includes the major urbanized portion of the region. The Village of Anmore is situated within the Growth Concentration Area notwithstanding its isolated location and lack of available infrastructure.
The existing OCP/Zoning Bylaw projected population of 4,000 based upon build out of the lands designated for development is anticipated to be accommodated within approximately 1,200 – 1,500 dwelling units. The Growth Management Scenario target for Anmore is 1,400 ground-oriented dwelling units and therefore would be satisfied.
3.5 INCREASE TRANSPORTATION CHOICESThe Strategic Plan encourages municipalities to promote alternative forms of transportation for the movement of people and goods, and to promote a land use pattern that will enhance and facilitate transit services. Given the Village’s isolated location, this principle is somewhat difficult to achieve. However alternative forms of transportation such as transit, while not necessarily a key element of the Official Community Plan, are supported by the Plan. The OCP also speaks to the importance of accommodating pedestrian movements within the Village and to encouraging community-based alternative forms of transportation
3.6 IMPLEMENTATION3.6.1 PartnershipThe Village of Anmore and the Greater Vancouver Regional District are committed to working in partnership to achieve the shared goals expressed in both the Official Community Plan and the Livable Region Strategic Plan. Should a disagreement arise, however, both the Village and the Region are committed to responding to the disagreement by cooperative discussions between the GVRD Board and the Village of Anmore’s Mayor and Council and then, if the disagreement persists, by the appropriate dispute resolution mechanisms provided for in the Local Government Act.
3.6.2 AcceptanceAs required by the Local Government Act, the Village of Anmore has submitted this Regional Context Statement to the GVRD, and the GVRD Board of Directors on 1 April 2005 accepted that this statement is consistent with the Livable Region Strategic Plan.
4.0 POLICIES4.1 LAND USE POLICIES
4.1.1 Residential
a) New residential subdivision will be directed to those areas designated Residential Area (R) on Schedule A - Land Use Map. (These areas, to a large extent are zoned for 0.4 ha (1 acre) parcels and the amount of land so designated is considered sufficient to accommodate the growth anticipated in all three growth scenarios as previously described).
b) Within the Zoning Bylaw, regulations will be retained that limit the parcel size for the subdivision of land to 0.4 ha (1 acre), except in the following circumstances: (i) for lot consolidation or property line realignment where no additional parcels are being created, in which case the lot size may be smaller than 0.4 ha (1 acre) subject to the regulations of the Zoning Bylaw; (ii) for density averaging where lots may be created that are less than 0.4 ha (1 acre) but where the average density if retained at 1 lot/0.4 ha as outlined in Policy 4.1.1(e); or (iii) for subdivisions where lot sizes may be created that are less than 0.4 ha (1 acre) and where the average density is greater than 1 lot/0.4 ha subject to the conditions outlined in Policy 4.1.1(f). Items (ii) and (iii) are intended to provide an incentive to property owners/developers to subdivide lands that may have environmental attributes (wetland, hillside, riparian habitat) in an environmentally sensitive manner.
c) In order to enable the hillsides in Anmore to be developed in a comprehensive and environmentally sensitive manner, the Village encourages subdividers to undertake co-ordinated planning instead of each property being developed separately.
d) New duplexes will not be permitted within the Village. The Zoning Bylaw will be amended accordingly.
e) Notwithstanding 4.1.1 (b), the zoning techniques of lot size averaging and density averaging may be used to accommodate cluster housing on steep sloped areas, or to address other physical constraints that make conventional subdivision impractical. To qualify for lot size averaging a property will have to be subject to a rezoning application. (Density averaging is a technique that maintains an overall density of 1 unit/0.4 ha (1 acre), but permits parcels to be created that are less than 0.4 ha (1 acre) in a clustered manner, in order to protect the environmental sensitivity of terrain that has severe topographic or other physical constraints).
f) Subject to rezoning, and in accordance with Section 2.3 (Objectives of the Strategy), the Village will entertain development proposals for subdivisions with a gross density greater than 1 lot /1 acre provided that the following conditions can be satisfied:
i) that the gross density does not exceed 1.5 lots / acre; ii) that the minimum lot size is not less than 0.5 acres; and iii) that a community benefit package is provided to the Village to the satisfaction of Village Council. The community benefit package shall consist of land that is devoted to parks, trails or open space in an amount that is not less than 20%, noting that to attain the maximum gross density of 1.5 lots / acre the amount of land should be in the 30% range. Providing community facilities such as a day care, library, fire hall, museum, community centre, or some other community amenity as deemed appropriate by Council may be combined with land for parks, trails, and open space to augment the community benefit package. The rational for these criteria is that if the property owner/developer decides to leave land undisturbed, or allocates it to public recreation use, the higher densities are considered a fair trade-off. Depending upon the circumstances, and as determined by the Village, the undisturbed or park land will be dedicated to the Village, retained by the property owner/developer subject to a restrictive covenant, or included as common property in strata title subdivisions subject to a restrictive covenant, therefore ensuring that this land is not developed in the future. Comprehensive development proposals that provide for alternative housing choices will also be considered for higher densities subject to the lot size and density criterion listed above. Examples include compact housing (small houses on small lots) for young families and seniors. In all cases where developments result in densities greater than 1 lot/1 acre, the development must ensure the maintenance of a semi-rural character through the use of the designated undisturbed land and appropriate buffers where necessary. In any circumstances where the density would be greater than 1 lot/1 acre, the development proposal shall respect the use of adjacent properties including appropriate setbacks and will incorporate design features that would minimize any impacts. Covenants will be used as a tool to ensure the performance of the developer. In considering development proposals under this section, the Council will review the proposal in the context of the overall housing mix in the Village and will work towards maintaining the housing mix that existed at the time of adoption of this Plan. Residential lots within CD zones shall not comprise more than 15% of the Village’s housing stock at any one time.
g) Within the time frame of this Plan, Council will not rezone additional land for the expansion of existing or the creation of new manufactured home parks.
h) The Village Council will consider applications for the rezoning of the lands known as Countryside Manufactured Home Park and Anmore Green Estates to enable the creation of a bare land strata subdivision for both properties. The intention of the proposed zoning change is to facilitate affordable housing in Anmore by allowing for the opportunity for residents of such parks to acquire an interest in the portion of the lands on which their homes are located and an interest in common with others in the common use areas of the park. This policy is not intended to facilitate or allow the development of new manufactured home parks. A new compact housing zone will be used to regulate both the creation of the subdivision and the development of each of the lots. This new zone will not be applied to any property within the Village other than the Countryside Manufactured Home Park and Anmore Green Estates. As part of the rezoning process, Council may establish specific conditions that would have to be satisfied prior to adoption of an amending bylaw. Regarding the Countryside Manufactured Home Park, one issue that will be addressed by Council relates to the interests of existing residents who may want to continue to reside in the Park but who can not or may not want to purchase a strata lot. Council will consider as part of the rezoning process entering into affordable housing agreements with the owner of the park to attempt to protect the interests of those affected so that these residents will be able to continue to reside in the Park should the Park be converted into a bare land strata subdivision. If and when both Countryside Manufactured Home Park and Anmore Green Estates are converted to bare land strata subdivisions, then the Manufactured Home Park (RS-3) zone in the Zoning Bylaw will be removed.
i) The Imperial Oil property in the southwest corner of the Village is considered as a major future development area in the Village. Its development will be subject to the preparation of a comprehensive development plan that would address land use and density, environmental attributes, servicing, transportation, community amenities, parkland, and financial implications. The development of the Imperial Oil property shall take place in accordance with the fundamental principles of this Plan and should differentiate itself from the suburban character of surrounding communities.
4.1.2 Commercial/Industriala) The existing commercial operations, that being the grocery store, boat rental, and the campground, that are zoned commercial at the time of adoption of this Plan, shall retain their commercial zoning classification, recognizing that rezoning of these properties in accordance with the policies of this Plan may occur in the future.
b) The existing industrial operation associated with the B.C. Hydro power plant and pumping station at Buntzen Bay shall retain its industrial zoning classification.
c) Upon application and subject to the rezoning process including the holding of a Public Hearing, commercial activities that are in keeping with the semi-rural character of the Village may be accommodated within the Village. The types of commercial activities envisioned are a coffee shop, restaurant, bike shop, art gallery, craft-type outlet, and antique store, however these are just examples.
d) The Village supports home-based businesses and bed and breakfast operations. The Zoning Bylaw will be used as the primary tool to control and regulate said
businesses and operations.
4.1.3 Recreational and Institutionala) Pursuant to Section 941 of the Local Government Act, the Village will require subdividers to dedicate 5% of their land for parkland in cases where the Village determines that acquiring the land is appropriate. The 5% for parkland is viewed as a prime vehicle for maintaining green space in the Village. In other cases if so determined by the Village, the subdivider will be required to provide money in lieu of parkland, that being 5% of the value of the land prior to subdivision.
b) During the time frame of this Plan, and as a condition of rezoning or subdivision approval, the Village intends to acquire land for trails and parks. Regarding trails, the Village will work towards achieving a trail network, consisting of the pathways along the major roads and off-road trails that provide alternative pedestrian access to such amenities as schools and park areas, or to link subdivisions. With respect to future parks, sites may be secured that are largely
intended to preserve wilderness values, but others may be needed to accommodate active recreational activities such as neighbourhood play areas.
c) The Village will encourage property owners/developers to dedicate land for trails and parks in excess of the minimum 5% requirement through the use of density incentives. [See Policy 4.1.1(f)].
d) B.C. Hydro’s Buntzen Lake Recreation Area has been designated Park on the Land Use Map. The Village does not support expansion of the existing parking area to accommodate greater usage of the Recreation Area unless the traffic issue is addressed to the satisfaction of the Village which may include providing an alternative access route to the park replacing the existing East Road/Sunnyside Road route. Until an alternative access route is provided, the Village will seek the assistance of the senior levels of government including the Greater Vancouver Regional District in maintaining this regionally significant road, as people from all over the region frequent the Recreation Area.
e) Subject to financial resources and mitigation of impacts the Village supports the development of a centrally-located community hall. Should it not be possible to secure a central location, an alternative location would be considered.
f) During the time frame of the Plan, the Village will consider accommodating new schools provided that associated impacts are adequately addressed to the satisfaction of the Council.
g) The Village will work towards creating linked wildlife corridors associated with streamside protection areas and trail networks as opportunities are presented during subdivision.
4.2 TRANSPORTATION POLICIES4.2.1 Major Roadsa) During the time frame of the Plan, both Sunnyside Road and East Road will function as the major traffic routes servicing the needs of the Village residents and providing access to Buntzen Lake, recognizing that only Sunnyside Road is designated as part of the regional Major Road Network (MRN). No new major road development is considered desirable other than a bypass route to the Buntzen Lake Recreation Area.
b) During the time frame of the Plan, upgrading of the two major roads may be undertaken. Development cost charges will be collected to assist in the financing of road upgrading.
c) If and when the Imperial Oil property is developed, the Village will secure a road allowance that will provide a link between the western and central portions of the Village.
d) Where possible, the Village will limit direct driveway access onto Sunnyside and East Roads by requiring the use of alternative roads and shared driveways.
4.2.2 Minor Collector Roads
a) The extension of Charlotte Crescent generally along the old skid road will function as a collector road for the development of the east side of East Road properties, recognizing however, that this road can not provide access to all the developable portions of said properties. It is the Village’s intent to provide a connection(s) between the Charlotte Crescent extension and East Road where it is possible to accommodate a looped road. Area-specific development cost charges may be used to help finance the construction of this road.
b) Fern Drive will serve as the north/south minor collector on the west side of Sunnyside Road. This road will be located on the east side of Schoolhouse Creek. It is the Village’s intent to provide connections between Fern Drive and Sunnyside Road and/or the proposed David Way where it is possible. Area-specific development cost charges may be used to help finance the construction of this road.
4.2.3 Local Roads
a) As new subdivisions are developed, local roads will be provided in accordance with the standards specified in the Works and Services Bylaw.
b) The Approving Officer will be encouraged to utilize the following guidelines in determining the appropriate locations for local roads within subdivisions:
(i) Locate new roads such that their alignment can facilitate the development of adjacent land in the future.
(ii) Ensure that new roads are located within a subdivision such that they can be extended in a technically feasible manner through adjacent properties, while being cost effective for both the developer to provide and the Village to maintain.
(iii) For corner lots fronting onto major roads and minor collectors, driveway access should be arranged off of the local road where possible.
(iv) Minimize extensive cut and fills.(v) Where possible, provide access to subdivisions from more than one (1) local road.
(vi) Create as few intersections as possible.(vii) Use 3-way intersections rather than 4-way intersections.
(viii) Avoid intersections near crests of hills and on curves.
(ix) Avoid skew intersections, i.e. where the angle between the intersecting roads is outside the range 90 ± 20 degrees.
(x) Avoid grades greater than 12%.(xi) Avoid crossing Anmore, Schoolhouse and Mossom Creeks where possible.
c) The Works and Services Bylaw establishes that the basic width of road allowances in the Village is 15 metres. As a means of protecting the semi-rural character of the Village, changes to the Bylaw will be considered that would enable the paved portion of the roadway to be narrower provided the following minimal criteria can be satisfied:
(i) accommodate two-way traffic and the safe passage of emergency vehicles;
(ii) provide for adequate drainage ditches or storm sewers;
(iii) accommodate natural gas and water mains;(iv) accommodate pathways; and
(v) retain or create green corridors.d) The Village may also update the Works and Services Bylaw to allow for increased road allowances where the extra land is to remain treed or used for non- motor vehicle use such as walking, biking, or horse trails.
4.2.4 David Avenue
The Village will act, to the extent of its authority, to ensure that David Avenue has a minimal impact upon the lifestyle and livelihood of residents that may be affected by the road. The Village has no intention of accommodating any portion of David Avenue within the Village boundaries. The Village encourages the City of Port Moody to ensure that the alignment will have minimal environmental impact on Mossom and Schoolhouse Creeks.
4.2.5 Transit
The Village supports Translink in providing transit opportunities within the Village as an alternative choice for movement to and from the Village, particularly to Buntzen Lake, and within the Village itself. Community shuttles are particularly supported. In the design of major and collector roads, accommodating transit vehicles will be pursued.
4.3 MUNICIPAL SERVICING POLICIES
4.3.1 Water Supply
a) The Works and Services Bylaw will establish that subdivision of land into parcels less than 1.2 ha (3 acres) will only be permitted if such subdivision can be connected to the Village’s community water system. The Village’s water system has sufficient capacity to accommodate the growth projections in this Plan.
b) The Village Council may relax the requirement set out in 4.3.1 (a) through the use of Development Variance Permits. In considering applications for such permits, the Council will require the preparation of a staff report, such report to address the following matters: (i) the advantages and disadvantages from the Village’s perspective of having the subdivision serviced with a private water system;
(ii) the expense that would be incurred by the subdivider to extend the Village’s water system to the subdivider’s site;
(iii) the manner in which the proposed subdivision would comply with the general approach of the Growth Management Strategy; and (iv) the various mechanisms that are available to the Village in order to minimize any negative impacts upon the Village’s fiscal resources. In cases where the Council has relaxed this requirement, the subdivider will be obligated to provide a private water system in accordance with the standards of the Works and Services Bylaw pertaining to supply and distribution. The standards required for the water distribution system will be the same as those for subdivisions that will be connected to the Village’s system. (In this way private systems can be connected to the Village’s system in the future, when the Village’s main trunk lines are extended).
c) Any subdivision that is not connected to the Village’s water system may utilize an existing water source, a new well, or any other satisfactory water source as its source of domestic water supply, subject to the standards established in the Works and Services Bylaw.
d) Private water systems using surface water sources will not be permitted for new subdivisions.
4.3.2 Sewage Disposal
a) During the time frame of this Plan, a Village wide community sewer system will not be developed by the municipality. However the Village will consider accommodating a sewer system that may be connected to the GVS&DD to address health and safety issues, subject to further study and exploration and when funded entirely by the residents who would use the system. Private sewage disposal systems will continue to be approved by the Ministry of Health or the Ministry of Water, Land, and Air Protection.
b) The Village will consider proposals from subdividers that involve private packaged treatment plants and common disposal fields to service new subdivisions provided that: i) the facilities are owned and operated by professionals and reputable utility companies as so determined by the Village; and ii) the facilities are approved in accordance with the standards established by the Ministry of Water, Land, and Air Protection or other applicable responsible authority.
4.3.3 Drainagea) During the time frame of this Plan, the Village will not install an enclosed piped drainage system, however, improvements to the Village’s existing ditch drainage system to correct localized problems, will be undertaken.
b) All individual subdivisions will be required to provide drainage systems in accordance with the standards of the Works and Services Bylaw. The objective will be that pre-development and post development drainage flows are to be the same in peak intensity.
c) Open ditches are to be retained where possible.
4.3.4 Solid Waste Disposal
a) During the time frame of this Plan, no land will be required for a landfill site. Solid waste will continue to be handled by way of containers, the contents of which are then transferred to disposal sites outside of the Village.
4.4 ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES4.4.1 General Approacha) In assessing the environmental implications of development proposals, the Village will rely upon qualified professionals to conduct studies to identify environmental attributes, minimize impact, and identify mitigative measures.
b) Special studies undertaken by qualified professionals may be required in support of subdivision and building permit applications on land that is designated on Schedules B1 and B2 — Environmentally Sensitive Areas (Please note that Schedules will be updated to provide more accurate representation of existing watercourses).
c) The Village supports Naturescape British Columbia, a co-operative program that enables people to promote wildlife habitat close to their homes and to utilize native species in landscaping schemes.
4.4.2 Watershedsa) In cases where a potential subdivision lies within a watershed area as generally indicated on Schedule B, the responsibility will be upon the subdivider to prove that the proposed subdivision will not negatively impact upon the watershed.
b) As the Village expands its community water system, such that surface water sources with private water systems are no longer needed to serve domestic water needs, the watershed designation on Schedule B may be amended accordingly. Changes to the watershed designation on Schedule B are not envisioned within the time frame of this Plan.
c) Notwithstanding 4.4.2 (b), the Village will attempt to protect private water systems using surface and sub-surface water sources when considering zoning, subdivision, and building permit applications.
d) The Village discourages logging in watersheds that need to be preserved for the purpose of protecting domestic water supply sources.
4.4.3 Creeksa) The Village will protect the riparian areas of creeks by continuing to establish building setback requirements in the Zoning Bylaw.
b) During the subdivision approval process, the Approving Officer is encouraged to require developers to enter into a non-disturbance restrictive covenant prohibiting vegetation disturbance and removal within a certain distance from the creek.
c) The Village will encourage property owners/developers through incentives to protect and enhance creek corridors that are accessible to the public. Stream enhancement techniques that preserve, enhance, and protect riparian areas should be explored as part of a development or building project.
d) The Village supports a coordinated approach with Port Moody to achieve consistent and effective protection of the watercourses that flow through the two communities.
4.4.4 Floodplaina) The Village will establish setback requirements within the Zoning Bylaw for creeks that may be subject to flooding.
b) In assessing the hazard implications of development proposals, the Village will rely upon qualified professionals to conduct studies to identify potential hazards mitigative measures to protect against such hazards.
4.4.5 Steep Slopesa) For those areas that have steep slopes, such as those identified on Schedule B-1, the Village will encourage the subdivision of such land to be undertaken in an innovative manner, respecting the topographic constraints. Given the high visibility of these lands, they tend to function as a scenic backdrop for the Village, and therefore the Village discourages, extensive cut and fill and clear cutting.b) The Approving Officer and Building Inspector may require that geotechnical studies be undertaken for lands that may be subject to landslippage and erosion.
4.4.6 Tree Retentiona) In order to preserve the semi-rural character of the community, tree retention and replanting will be required by the Village for new subdivisions, the details of which will be outlined in a new Tree Protection Bylaw. In particular, tree retention is desirable and in some cases may be essential along road frontages, shared property lines, and natural watercourses.
b) In order to prevent trees from blowing down and damaging private property, the Village encourages subdividers and builders to retain a professional forester or arborist to provide advice on tree removal.
c) The Village is opposed to irresponsible logging anywhere in the Village.
d) Where trees must be removed for safety or engineering concerns, the Village encourages landowners to replace these trees with native species landscaping.
4.4.7 Wetlandsa) The Village will be cognizant of the ecological significance of wetlands in the review of development applications and will consider incentives for preservation.
b) The Village encourages the protection of wetlands through the use of lot size averaging and the RS-2 cluster housing zone.
5.0 MAP SCHEDULES
5.1 GENERAL
The Official Community Plan provides for a general Growth Management Strategy based upon principles such as cost-efficient delivery of municipal services, the preservation of environmentally sensitive areas, and other community objectives such as the maintenance of community identity and lifestyle.This strategy is expressed within the text of the Plan and its attached schedules, the latter of which forms a part of the OCP Bylaws.
The schedules have been developed after collaboration, with the public, Council, Advisory Planning Commission and private land owners. Input was obtained from adjacent municipalities, and a number of Provincial Ministries, all of whom have an effect upon the future of our community. The current Plan, therefore, generally reflects a consensus as to how Anmore should manage change in the future.Because the Official Community Plan is a policy document and not a regulatory tool, the boundaries for the various designations on all three schedules are not exact, as in a Zoning Bylaw.
5.2 SCHEDULE A - LAND USE MAP
This schedule illustrates the future land use pattern of the Village expected within the life of this Plan.
5.2.1 Residential Area (R)
The following major land uses either exist or can be anticipated to be developed on land within the Residential Area (R) designation recognizing however that not all the land designated Residential Area will be subdivided over the next 5-10 years:
• Single Family Dwellings subject to the policies of this Plan
• Manufactured Home Parks, subject to Policy 4.1.1(g)
• Schools• Municipal Facilities
• Local Grocery Store• Campground
5.2.2 Limited Use (LU)Areas designated Limited Use are intended to identify those portions of the Village that are not likely to be developed within the time frame of the Plan. Two areas have been identified — the Crown Land immediately north of the campground, and the Crown Land immediately adjacent to the Countryside Manufactured Home Park. These areas have been designated Limited Use (LU) because the use of such land is anticipated to be quite limited during the time frame of this Plan, that being for conservation and buffers.
5.2.3 Watershed (WS)Areas designated Watershed are intended to remain in a natural state in order to protect their watershed purpose. Building, road construction, logging, or other use that would alter the natural vegetation cover, watercourses, or soil structure will be prohibited.
5.2.4 Park (P)Areas designated Park are intended to identify those portions of Indian Arm Provincial Park, Belcarra Regional Park and Buntzen Lake Recreation Area that are within the Village.
5.2.5 Industrial (I)The area designated Industrial is B.C. Hydro’s Buntzen Lake facility on Indian Arm and the pump house.
5.2.6 Zoning Changes
Proposed zoning changes to accommodate a use that is not specifically stated within a Residential, Limited Use or Watershed designation will be considered, provided that the proposed use is similar in character to other uses listed in that category, and is in conformity with the spirit and intention of the Growth Management Strategy.
5.3 SCHEDULE B1 AND B2 — ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREASThese schedules are intended to generally illustrate the areas within the Village which, because of environmentally sensitivity or natural hazard, may require site specific studies prior to any development. The boundaries of the creeks, watershed, steep slope, and unstable slopes are extremely general in nature, and by no means should be considered to be precise. The intent of the schedules is to alert property owners and Village officials, that a potential environmental constraint may exist, and that appropriate information may be required prior to a decision being made on a particular development proposal.
5.4 SCHEDULE C — GREEN ZONE LANDThis schedule identifies the Green Zone within the Village insofar as it relates to the GVRD's Strategic Plan. Essentially it includes the Buntzen Lake Recreation Area, Indian Arm Provincial Park, Belcarra Regional Park and Crown Land on Eagle Mountain on the east side of Sunnyside Road.
6.0 IMPLEMENTATION6.1 BYLAWSReview Zoning and Works and Services Bylaws to ensure the Official Community Plan policies are consistent with the bylaws.
6.2 TREE PROTECTION BYLAW
The Village will prepare a Tree Protection Bylaw that will be used by Council and the Approving Officer in the consideration of new subdivisions.
6.3 AGENCY LIAISONa) Continue to maintain an ongoing liaison with the Greater Vancouver Regional District regarding the development of Belcarra Regional Park and B.C. Hydro regarding the development of the Buntzen Lake Recreation Area.
c) Continue to maintain ongoing liaison with the City of Port Moody regarding matters of mutual interest.
d) Engage in discussions with the Ministry of Forests and the Ministry of Water, Land, and Air Protection regarding the establishment of Provincial watershed status for the land designated Watershed on Schedule A.
6.4 WATERCOURSE INVENTORYThe Village will consider undertaking a complete inventory of watercourses within the Village.
6.5 COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONSThe Village will liaise with local community organizations as a means of realizing the objectives and policies of this Plan.
6.6 PLAN REVIEW
Review the Official Community Plan every five years.
