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Community Planning - Rural Princeton Bylaw Review

2011 Public Open Houses

A series of Open Houses were held in September 2011 in order to provide members of the public with an opportunity to learn more and provide feedback on the proposed bylaws. Meetings were held at:

Princeton Fringe Area (September 13, 2011 at the Riverside Centre)

Tulameen (September 14, 2011 at the Community Centre)

Draft 2011 OCP and Zoning Bylaws

Following extensive community consultation in 2009, and input from the Electoral Area 'H' OCP Review Committee through 2010 and 2011, DRAFT Official Community Plan & Zoning Bylaws have been completed. Copies of the Bylaws and their related Schedules can be downloaded from the following links:

Draft Electoral Area ‘H’ Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 2497

Schedule ‘B’ – OCP Map A

Schedule ‘B’ – OCP Map B

Schedule ‘C’ – Road Network Plan

Schedule ‘D’ – Trail Network Plan

Schedule ‘E’ – Hazard Lands

Schedule ‘F’ – Aggregate Resources Map

Schedule ‘G’ – Environmentally Sensitive Development Permit (ESDP) Areas

Schedule ‘H’ – Watercourse Development Permit (WDP) Areas

Draft Similkameen Valley Zoning Bylaw No. 2498

Schedule ‘2’ – Zoning Map A

Schedule ‘2’ – Zoning Map B

A Newsletter highlighting some of the new aspects of the Draft Official Community Plan and Zoning Bylaws has been prepared and mailed to all registered property owners in Electoral Area 'H'. A copy of this Newsletter may also be viewed at the following link:

Electoral Area 'H' Official Community Plan Newsletter - August 2011

A comparison of the various changes fromthe zones contained in the current Zoning Bylaw No. 2464 versus the zones proposed for the Draft Zoning Bylaw No. 2498 can be found here: Comparison of Zoning Provisions

What is an OCP?

An OCP is an important policy document that provides the Regional District and the community with general direction on land use matters such as environmental protection, growth management, parks and recreation, community servicing, and land use.

The Plan will also help to inform the long‐term use of land in the unincorporated areas surrounding Princeton, including the Princeton Fringe Area, Tulameen, Coalmont, Eastgate, Missezula Lake and Five Mile Valley.

The basis of the current OCP was formulated in the mid‐1990s with the Plan formally adopted by the Regional District Board in 1998. It is generally considered good practice to review the policies contained within an OCP every 5‐10 years to ensure they respond to changing circumstances within the community such as shifting population, affordable housing and climate change.

OCP Review Committee

The Electoral Area 'H' Official Community Plan (OCP) and Zoning Bylaw Review Committee is currently comprised of the following members:

Linda Allison;
Susan Dixon;
Tim Hall;
Ole Juul;
Treena MacLeod;
Kim Maynard;
Chris Pemberton;
Marg Reichert;
William Sawchuk; and
Charles Weber.

Meetings of the Committee are open to the public and are generally held on an irregular schedule at the Riverside Centre in Princeton:

April 24, 2010;
May 20, 2010;
June 24, 2010;
July 22, 2010;
August 26, 2010;
September 16, 2010;
October 30, 2010;
November 6, 2010;
March 19, 2011;
April 16, 2011;
September 28, 2011;
October 13, 2011;
November 13, 2011;
January 18, 2012 - 7:00pm - 9:00pm

Public Open Houses

A series of Open Houses were held the third weekend of November in order to provide a progress update on the OCP. Meetings were held at:

Eastgate (November 21st - 1-3pm at the Fire Hall)

Princeton (November 21st - 7-9pm at the Riverside Centre)

Five Mile Valley (November 22nd - 1-3pm at the Hayes Creek Fire Hall)

Tulameen (November 22nd - 7-9pm at the Community Centre)

A copy of the presentation related to the OCP Review process and the results of the Survey can be downloaded here:

Official Community Plan Review Presentation

Jillian Tamblyn, Environmental Coordinator (RDOS), presented an update on the Sensitive Ecosystem Inventory (SEI) Mapping currently being undertaken in Eastgate, Otter Lake and the Five Mile Valley areas. A copy of SEI Mapping Presentation can be downloaded here:

Sensitive Ecosystem Inventory (SEI) Mapping Presentation

Melanie Bagley, Community Liason / Project Manager for the Sustainable Similkameen Project presented an update on that project.

: Area Director Brad Hope addressing attendees of the Tulameen Open House

Resident Survey Results

Board Report - Resident Survey Results (file size: 149 KB)

Schedule A - Initial Survey Results (file size: 1.32 MB)

Schedule B - Round 1 Survey Results (file size: 443 KB)

Schedule C - Round 2 & 3 Survey Results (file size: 52 KB)

Schedule C-1: Land Use Responses (file size: 1.65 MB)

Schedule C-2: Economic Development Responses (file size: 2.1 MB)

Schedule C-3: Recreation Responses (file size: 971 KB)

Schedule C-4: Service and Infrastructure Responses (file size: 2.64 MB)

Schedule C-5: Environmental Responses (file size: 1.35 MB)

Schedule C-6: Local Government Responses (file size: 789 KB)

Schedule C-7: Survey Feedback Responses (file size: 672 KB)

Background Statistics - Electoral Area 'H'

Land area is 4,815 km², making it the largest Electoral Area in the RDOS (comprising 46% of the total);
Population is 2,208 persons (2006 Census), which represents 2.8% of the total RDOS population;
Average annual population growth between 2001 and 2006 was 2.32% (for a total of 239 new residents);
It took 30 years to double the population (i.e. 950 residents in 1966 vs. 2,053 residents in 1996);
Almost half of all households (46.4%) are occupied on a seasonal basis — RDOS average is only 9.2%;
59% of dwellings occupied on a year-round basis were constructed prior to 1986;
Median age of year-round residents in 1981 was 30, by 2006 it was 52.4 vs. Provincial average of 40.8;
74.4% of households are comprised of either one person or couples with no children; and
The largest employment sector is “Agriculture and other resource-based industries”.