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CityPlan Community Visions
Terms of Reference
Approved by City Council July 30, 1996
Revised August, 1999
Revised January, 2002
Contents
CityPlan Directions in Summary
Background
Summary - A community vision program to
follow through on CityPlan
- 1. Ground Rules - Setting expectations for
visions
- 2. The Product - A Vision to guide each community's
future
- 3. The Process
- A. The Community Process - Steps for the community to prepare
its Vision
- B. The City-wide Process - Linking communities and bringing in
the city-wide perspective
4. Roles - Making responsibilities clear
Additional Information - Roles; Selecting
communities; Other aspects of visions
CityPlan DIRECTIONS IN SUMMARY
(adopted by Vancouver City Council, June 1995)
- ...create or strengthen neighbourhood centres in all neighbourhoods
as a place where people can find shops, jobs, and services close to
home; where there are safe and inviting public places; and which help
strengthen neighbourhood identity and sense of community
- ...increase housing variety in neighbourhoods that have little variety
now, and focus the new housing mainly in neighbourhood centres, to help
meet the housing needs of neighbourhood residents as they age, and to
work toward regional goals of reducing sprawl and auto use
- ...maintain and improve neighbourhood character, by retaining greenery
and heritage, and by maintaining or creating a built character that
identifies the neighbourhood
- ...target community services to need; make services more accessible
to people who may face difficulty receiving services; and involve people
in planning and delivering services
- ...prevent crime and improve unsafe social and physical conditions
through community policing and other initiatives
- ...provide more affordable housing
- ...broaden neighbourhood art and cultural activity and identity
- ...provide for park space to meet current or expected deficiencies,
and increase the variety of types of design, and ways of using, streets
and other public places
- ...encourage jobs to cluster in neighbourhood centres where they will
be close to residents and well served by transit
- ...increase walking, biking, and transit in the neighbourhood and
betweenneighbourhoods, and reduce single- occupant car use in neighbourhoods,
the city, and region
- ...help to improve air quality, improve and conserve water, and reduce
waste
- ...find new ways to involve people
- ...gradually reallocate resources to achieve CityPlan
BackgroundCityPlan
In June 1995 City Council approved a city- wide plan for Vancouver. CityPlan
provides a framework for deciding City programs, priorities, and actions
over the next thirty years. It includes directions on a range of topics
from transportation to arts, from housing to community services.
CityPlan emerged from a process that involved thousands of people submitting
their ideas and making choices about Vancouver's future. The resulting directions
will affect the future of Vancouver communities how they meet their needs,
how they stay the same, and how they change.
CityPlan directions do not provide detailed maps and programs. The next
step of CityPlan is to work with communities to bring CityPlan's broad city-
wide policies to the neighbourhood level. The following Terms of Reference
describe the public program which will be used to develop community visions.
Community visions will provide an opportunity for each community to look
into the future, to determine their needs and aspirations, and to set a
course that incorporates CityPlan directions.
Pilot project review and program timing
- Two communities - Kensignton-Cedar Cottage and Dunbar were selected
as a pilot project for the Community Visions Program. The Program
began from the fall of 1996, and the two Visions were endorsed by
Council in July and September of 1998.
- A full evaluation of the pilot project was completed, and on July
8, 1999 City Council approved the continuation of the Community Vision
Program through the predominantly single family areas of the City,
with adjustments to the Program steps, components and schedule as
described in the Council report of that date. These terms of reference
have been revised to reflect these changes. Map 1 shows the future
Vision areas.
Community Visions Program - Sunset and Victoria-Fraserview/Killarney
- Sunset and Victoria-Fraserview/Killarney were the next two communities
to participate in the Community Visions Program. The Program began
in January 2000, and the two Visions were endorsed by Council in January
2002.
Other CityPlan Initiatives
Community Visions are one of many initiatives which will help to make CityPlan
happen. Other programs include Greenways, the Transportation Plan, the Industrial
Lands Strategy, Community Policing, Integrated Service Teams, and new single-
family zoning with more control over design and landscaping.
Back to ContentsSummary
A community vision program to follow through on CityPlanAn
overview of the community vision program is provided below. Subsequent
sections provide more detail on each topic.
Purpose
- The purpose of this program is to have communities, assisted by staff,
develop Visions that incorporate a wide range of community interests
and describe common ground for moving in CityPlan directions. The Program
asks each community to implement CityPlan directions in a way and at
a scale and pace that suits the community.
Ground rules
- A set of principles underlie the Program which require that each Community
Vision address CityPlan directions and that the process involve the
broad community.
Product
- Each Vision will be a document which uses words, drawings, pictures,
and maps to show how the community proposes to meet its needs and move
forward on CityPlan directions over the coming decades. A vision will
identify what people value and want to protect as well as those things
that will change.
Process
- The Community Vision process is a 15 month, four-step process that
includes extensive outreach; the identification of community needs,
ideas, issues, and opportunities on all the CityPlan topics; the creation
of Vision options and directions; broad community voting on preferred
options and directions; and Council endorsation of the final Vision.
Subsequently, the community works on setting priorites for Vision implementation.
- Each step provides a variety of ways for people in the community to
be involved in creating, reviewing, and deciding on their Vision - including
meetings, workshops and discussion groups, community events and festivals,
brochures and surveys. The process also provides for an on-going Community
Liaison Group [CLG] made up of people from the community. Within the
general framework of the four steps, a communications and outreach strategy
is tailored for each community.
- Two communities prepare Visions simultaneously.
- A concurrent city-wide process helps link the communities with each
other and with city-wide interests, as well as maintain city-wide awareness
of CityPlan and the Community Vision Program.
Roles
- The community, which includes residents, property owners, workers,
business owners,and community organizations within the communitiy, generates
the ideas, issues, and solutions that create the Vision options and
directions. They also select preferred Vision directions.
- CityPlan staff organize and facilitate the community process,
undertake outreach and communications, help explore Vision possibilities,
and document and illustrate material generated by the process. They
provide information on community, city, and regional needs and CityPlan
directions, ensure that proposed Vision options and directions move
in CityPlan directions, and advise on the relationship between Vision
options and directions and CityPlan. CityPlan staff do not invent
or delete Vision options and directions, or select or advocate the preferred
Vision options or directions.
- The Community Liaison Group, with representatives from a wide-range
of community interests, brings continuity and a "watch-dog"
perspective to the process and provides a core group of participants
and contacts. This group may also take on priority-setting, monitoring,
and action roles after completion of the Vision.
- The City Perspectives Panel are a small group of respected
and knowledgeable individuals drawn from across the city who comment
on how far each proposed Vision option or direction moves toward achieving
CityPlan directions, and on their consequences. Their review is a part
of each community Vision process and it is incorporated into the community's
consideration of the Vision options and directions.
- City Council approves the resources required to undertake the
Vision program, endorses the Visions, and approves City initiatives
to implement the Visions.
Pilot project review and program timing
- This program was developed to be able to reach the whole city, for
the first time, in a systematic way, within several years. However,
because this is a major City initiative that can set new ways of planning
with communities, the first two visions will be considered a pilot project.
- The first two communities will start their visioning process in January
1997,to be completed in September. The completed visions will be submitted
to City Council for endorsation within the context of the review.
Back to Contents1. Ground
Rules
Setting expectations for VisionsThe Community
Vision Program is designed to allow communities to consider city-wide
CityPlan directions, to explore their needs and aspirations, and to generate
Visions which move in CityPlan directions. Like the process which led
to CityPlan, the Vision Program will incorporate new ways of bringing
a wide range of participants into the process of creating individual community
Visions. To help ensure that the Program meets the needs of City Council
and the community, a set of ground rules (expectations or principles)
underlie all aspects of the Program.
The content ground rules are:
- Visions must include all CityPlan topics.
- Each community must consider information on CityPlan directions that
define local, city- wide, and regional needs.
- Vision options and directions must be derived from community ideas,
opportunities, and desires.
- The consequences of Vision options and directions must be described
to the community while considering the "rights" of the neighbourhood
and its "responsibility" as part of the city and region.
- Vision options and directions and the preferred Vsion must move the
community in CityPlan directions (see inside cover of this document
for summary list of CityPlan directions).
The process ground rules are:
- The process must provide a variety of ways to be involved that are
meaningful to participants of various ages, cultures, interests, and
parts of the community.
- Participants and staff must respect all points of view and all community
members, from residents, to owners, to business people.
- The process must seek common ground.
- The choice of preferred Vision options and directions must reflect
the feelings of the broad community, not a small portion.
- The Vision must be delivered within the approved time and resource
limits.
Back to Contents2. The ProductA
Vision to guide each community's futureWhat is a Community Vision?
A Community Vision is a document which expresses in words, drawings, photographs,
and maps how the community proposes to meet its needs and move forward on
all CityPlan directions. It talks about community concerns including who
will be living in the community and what their needs will be in terms of
housing, services, jobs and recreation; how the community will address environmental
issues including how people will get around; what the character and open
spaces will be like. In short, a Vision will describe how CityPlan will
be implemented over the next couple of decades in a way that suits each
community.
In order for all communities in the city to develop comprehensive Visions
within a reasonable time, the Visions cannot provide the level of detail
that has been often contained in other community planning programs. For
example, a Vision will not include new zoning bylaws, design specifications
for community greenways, or the locations of bus stops, traffic circles
or speed bumps. It will set directions, guide decisions, lead to actions,
and identify priorities for further work.
Why do a Vision?
The purpose for doing a Vision is for the community to articulate, within
the framework of CityPlan, where it wants to go in the future and how it
wants to get there. A Vision will identify what people value and want to
protect and those things they want to change. A Vision will increase certainty
about the future and give both the community and City Council a clear idea
of what needs to be done and where energy and resources need to be focussed.
How will Visions be used?
Visions will be used to guide actions and decisions on all levels, from
the individual to the senior governments, for example:
- private actions like clean-ups, landscaping, keeping porch
lights on, or getting to know neighbours;
- community programs such as recycling initiatives, community
gardens, Business Improvement Associations or traffic speed patrols;
- City initiatives that direct spending and/or resources to
community priorities such as public art, greenways, further land-
use planning, or parks and recreation facilities, or that respond
to private development proposals and rezoning applications;
- provincial programs including health and social services,
retail facade improvement grants, and lottery funding of community
facilities.
The section below provides more examples of what a community Vision would
do.
A Community Vision Could Include:A community Vision will include all CityPlan
topics, it may go into more detail on some topics than on others. A Vision
would be expressed in words, drawings, photos, and maps. Following are
examples of what a vision would include:Transit, Walking, and Biking as
a Priority
- indicate ways to make it easier, safer, and more interesting for
pedestrians and cyclists to get around including traffic calming and
development of community greenways
- identify traffic issues and solutions
- identify ways to improve transit service
Accessible, Community-based Services
- identify particular community service needs in the neighbourhood
and barriers that prevent people from obtaining services they need
- suggest ways to better provide community services, including ways
to make them more accessible
- identify actions to improve neighbourhood safety
Neighbourhood Centres
- locate the neighbourhood centre(s) (but not necessarily the centre's
exact size and boundaries)
- identify the kinds of community shopping, service, and job needs
the centre could fulfil, and ways to make these happen
- identify types of housing to be included in the centre, to meet
what needs
- generate ideas for streetscape, open space, and character for the
centre
- describe the differences between centres, if there is more than
one centre in the neighbourhood
New and More Diverse Public Places
- identify park needs of current and future residents
- suggest a variety of types, character, design, uses, and locations,
of parks, streets and sidewalks, and other public places
- provide ideas for how to obtain park land where needed, and priorities
Housing Variety and Cost
- identify the housing needs of neighbourhood residents now and as
they age
- identify ways to increase housing in the neighbourhood to meet these
needs; include types, character, scale, and general locations of new
housing (can include both agreed-on housing ideas for the short term,
and a range of future possibilities where there is not full agreement
now)
- define under what conditions rezonings could be considered for this
housing
- identify requirements for affordable housing
Distinctive Neighbourhood Character
- identify aspects and areas of neighbourhood character to be retained,
including heritage, landscapes, and other important elements of neighbourhood
character
- suggest ways to preserve important elements of neighbourhood character
- identify the desired character of new development and how to make
sure it is neighbourly
- identify the desired character of the neighbourhood centre(s) and
how to make centre development fit well with the neighbourhood
Other CityPlan Topics
- The Vision would also address other CityPlan topics including Financial
Accountability, Arts and Culture, Environment, and Governance.
3. The ProcessThe Community Visioning Program has two
interconnected streams: the community process and a concurrent city-wide
process. Two communities will simultaneously participate in separate community
processes, each concentrating on the local perspective. The city-wide
process process links the two communities, provides city-wide/regional
perspective, and informs the rest of the city about the Vision porgram.A.
The Community Process
Steps for the community to prepare its vision
Prior to the Program starting up in the community, staff undertake preparation
of a broad range of information, maps, photos and support materials, including
numerous Fact Sheets on the existing situation in the community, as well
as city policies and programs. This takes approximately three months before
the start of the Program.The community process has four steps done over
about fifteen months. It involves the community, CityPlan staff, and others.
A subsequent step to set priorities for implementation is done by the
community and staff. The four steps described on the following page are
a broad outline within which specifics can be tailored to meet community
circumstances.
| CITYPLAN COMMUNITY VISION PROGRAM - STEPS SCHEDULE |
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| STEP 1 GETTING IN TOUCH |
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| STEP 3 CHOOSING DIRECTIONS |
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| STEP 4 FINALIZING THE VISION |
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Step 1: Get in Touch
- Newsletter introducing the Program out to all households, businesses,
owners.
- Contact key people and meet all organizations in the community,
including multi-cultural organizations. Introduce Program, opportunities
for their involvement and benefit, collect perceptions of cummunity
issues, hopes, ideas, needs.
- Recruit and brief the Community Liaison Group.
- Customize outreach, communications, and events strategy in consultation
with the CLG..
- Identify additonal information that people want when working on
Visions.
Step 2: Share Ideas
- Generate interest, ideas, and provide inspiration with a "Vision
Festival": exhibits, speaker, tours and activities, interactive
displays, community group and student participation, community forum.
Provide additional opportunities for people to add to hopes, needs,
values, ideas, opportunities.
- Sign people up to "interested people" mailing list.
- Work out details with CLG of workshop scheduling and outreach.
- Hold a series of topic-focussed workshops, where community residents
create the ideas and possibilities for the future that will be turned
into Vision options and directions. Use the issues, ideas and information,
from Step 1, as erll as informaiton and structure provided by CityPlan
staff about the community, city and region. Produce a variety of alternatives
which move in CityPlan directions. Generate maps, photos, drawings,
and workds to summarize discussions.
- Hold "mini" workshops for multi-cultural residents [and
other hard-to-reach groups] at their usual meetings or classes.
- Fully transcribe workshop results for use in drafting Vision options
and directions; distribute to workshop attendees and CLG.
An example of information to be provided in the community visioning processOne
of the CityPlan directions is to "increase housing variety.....especially
in neighbourhood centres; and give people the opportunity to stay in their
neighbourhoods as their housing needs change and, by doing so, take a
share of regional growth."
Information provided to Vision participants will help them answer the
following questions:
- Who lives in the community now and what might their housing needs
be in the future? For instance, how much and what types of housing
might older adults in the community look for as they age, and as children
grow to be young adults and start families. Does the community have
the housing to meet these needs?
- What types of housing does the community have now, and how much
and what types of housing could be built in the future under existing
zoning?
- How much housing does the regional plan ask the city to have in
the future and why?
- What might be the community service and infrastructure needs of
different amounts of future housing? Does the community have surpluses
or deficiencies?
- What kind of tools could the City use to guide housing, such as
setting the rate of change, controlling the design, charging developing
cost levies, etc.?
- Pictures, drawings, and self- guided tours to show: what do various
types of housing look like?
Comparable information would be provided on all the other CityPlan topics.
Step 3: Choosing Directions
- Develop a large format "Choices Survey" containing the
Vision options and directions developed out of the workshop results
from Step 2. Ensure, with review by the CLG, that the survey is complete
and reflective of the workshops.
- Provide a broader city-wide and regional perspective in the Survey
through City Perspectives Panel comments on the Visions options and
directions in the relationship to CityPlan directions.
- Distrivute the survey to all households, businesses, and owners.
Conduct a random mailing of the survey to ensure validity of results.
- Undertake an outreach program to support the "Choices Survey"
and encourage response, including ads, newspaper/media coverage, and
travelling displays.
Step 4: Finalizing the Vision
- Review and analyse the survey responses to determine the preferences
of the community for the Vision directions and options. Identify areas
of uncertain or ambiguous results, or of geographically divergent
opinion.
- Review and finalize the survey results with the CLG and CPP.
- Draft a final Vision summary for distribution to all households,
businesses, and owners. Produce the final Vision document.
- Present the final Vision to City Council for endorsation.
Implementing the vision
The community, including former CLG members who wish to participate, will
work with staff to develop a strategic action plan for implementing the
endorsed Vision over th eextended period of time necessary. City initiatives
can include capital expenditures, more detailed planning, rezonings, and
redirecting manu existing programs to make the Vision a reality (greenways,
local area improvemenrs, traffic calming, etc.). Community initiatives
will also play an important role. The strategic action plan will identify
timeing and priorities for the next steps and actions to make Vision directions
happen, based on response of the broad community to the direction; the
city of community resources available; and the opportunities that arise.
This action plan will be developed, reviewed and endorsed by City Council
as a separate initiative after the Vision has been approved.B. The City-wide
Process
Linking communities and bringing a city-wide perspective
At the same time as the community processes is underway in the two communities,
a city- wide process will occur. The city-wide process will help to: provide
a city-wide and CityPlan perspective, develop a sense of mutual accountability
and fair share among communities, provide inspiration, share ideas, develop
tools, and improve general public awareness.
The city-wide process includes:
- Sessions to identify or discuss tools for implementing or financing
Visions.
- Organized opportunities for public input on the City's response
to the region's Livable Region Strategic Plan and other city-wide
issues.
- News stories, news releases, internet information, a regular cable
t.v. program, and a series of speakers combine to make the general
public aware of the Program, report on the progress being made in
community visions, and provide information about issues and ideas.
- The City Perspecitves Panel to provide comments, to each community,
from a CityPlan perspective on the community's Vision options and
directions.
- Events that bring together the two communities concurrently involved
in Vision processes in order to share ideas, get inspiration, etc.
- Information packages and kits for community Visions that include
CityPlan directions and community information, as well as ideas and
examples from other places.
- Consultation with groups that represent city- wide interests (rental
housing, environment, seniors, etc.) to explore ways for these interests
to be part of community Visioning.
The city- wide process will be managed and facilitated by CityPlan staff.
Back to Contents4. Roles
Making responsibilities clear
There will be many actors involved in the community Visioning process.
This section, including the chart on the following page, describes the
roles of key participants. (More detail is provided in the last section
of this report, "Additional Information.")
The community
The community has two key roles. First, to generate the ideas, values,
desires, and needs that create the Vision options and directions. Second,
to select the preferred Vision options and directions. The community includes
residents, property owners, workers, and business owners - participating
as individuals, community groups, and/or as members of the CLG (see below).
The Vision depends on broadly based community participation and support.
Community Liaison Group [CLG]
A Community Liaison Group will be formed for each Vision community. It
will be made-up of volunteers from the community drawn from a wide range
of ages, backgrounds, neighbourhoods and interests.
Its key roles will be to provide continuity throughout the process and
to be a "watch- dog" of the process on behalf of the community,
ensuring that community input from each step is carried into subsequent
steps. The CLG will also provide a core group of participants and help
to customize and expand outreach efforts. They will provide advice to
staff throughout the process.
The Group's role will not be to revise or delete Vision options or directions,
nor to select the preferred ones.
CityPlan team
The role of CityPlan staff will be to help the community explore and create
Vision options and directions that are move in the broad directions of
CityPlan. To this end, the CityPlan staff role includes organizing events,
doing outreach, illustrating and documenting material from the process,
and providing information about community needs and about the CityPlan
directions.
These terms of reference call for producing Visions that are consistent
with CityPlan directions. CityPlan staff will provide comments and advice
on CityPlan directions. However, it is not CityPlan staff's role to create
their own Vision options and directions; to delete options; or to advocate,
negotiate for, or select, preferred Vision options and directions.
The CityPlan staff team consits of: two community teams, each with a planner,
a planning analyst and a community resource person; a media/information
team wirh expertise in communications, data gathering and analysis, graphics
and display production; together with the senior planners who co-manage
the overall Program. Liaison staff from Engineering, Parks and Housing
will be part of the CityPlan team, and other staff expertise will be called
on as necessary.
City Perspectives Panel [CPP]
Individuals who are widely respected from a city-wide and community point
of view will be appointed by City Council to the City Perspectives Panel
to wear a "city hat".. Their role will be to provide commentary
on how well the Vision options and directions generated by each community
are meeting CityPlan directions. This commentary will be part of the information
available in the community in the "Choices Survey" where people
review their Vision options and directions and select preferred Vision
directions.
Other interests: nearby residents, special interests, students et
al.
Nearby Residents, and Post Secondary Students.
Residents or business owners from adjacent communities may have an interest
in what happens in the community being Visioned. University and post-secondary
students from outside the community are often interested in the Vision
Program as it relates to their studies in planning, architecture or landscape
architecture. They may be contacted in Step 1 Getting in Touch, and may
participate in Step 2, Creating Ideas. However, in the workshops held
during Step 2, staff will be ensuring that these participants are not
present in undue numbers. Neither of these groups vote in the Choices
Survey in Step 3, Choosing Directions, or participate in subsequent steps.
Special Interests
Many community people may have special interests, and their knowledge
and advocacy can enrich the Vision process, particularly in Step 2, Creating
Ideas. However, their main role is as a community resident, business owner,
etc., as outlined above. The participation of special interest representatives
from outside the community [e.g. heritage advocates, architects or designers,
bicycle user groups, affordable housing groups, environmentalists, developers,
real estate agents, etc.] will be limited to providing information or
ideas through materials prepared by staff, or participating on an invited
basis at workshops or meetings.
Other City staff
While the CityPlan team will manage the Vision Program, many other City
staff from a variety of departments will be called upon to provide information
or advice in the Vision process. Where possible, they will also work to
solve immediate community problems through existing programs. City staff
- other than the CityPlan team - may also have a special interest to advocate,
such as the City's Housing Centre. However, as with special interests
above, the role of staff is not to edit or negotiate the community's preferred
Vision.
City Council
City Council allocates resources to undertake this Program and also has
the final approval authority for the Visions. Council members will be
invited to be "active observers" during community Visioning.
Council also reviews and approves the strategic action plan that is developed
following the Vision.
Back to Contents
Notes on the Functions Listed on the Chart
Manage the process - Organize the Program, manage staff and budgets.
Watchdog - Ensure the terms of reference, ground rules, and community
input are respected.
Outreach - Tailor the participation opportunities to the community
doing the Vision and maximize community participation.
Facilitate events - Ensure meetings and events are effectively
and neutrally run.
Record/illustrate/document/distribute - Transform rough material
into shareable documents, displays, etc. Package and distribute or display
material for wide review.
Provide local, city-wide, and CityPlan information - CityPlan staff
will provide background information, ideas, and analysis on the community
and on alternatives or ideas. They will also provide a CityPlan context
for each Vision by providing information on, and raising awareness of,
CityPlan directions and city-wide concerns. The community will provide
local expertise and information.
Advocate - Support a particular topic, interest, or solution.
Generate ideas/values/desires/needs - Define what in the community
should change and what should remain the same and the approaches, ideas,
and preferences that should be included in the Vision options and directions.
Develop and describe Vision options and directions - Based on broad
community input (the ideas/values/desires/needs) create Vision options
and directions and describe their consequences, including in relation
to CityPlan directions. Help develop creative alternatives and approaches
which respond to community input.
Provide city-wide perspective on options - Comment on how well
different Vision options and directions respond to CityPlan and city-wide
concerns. Assess the preferred Vision's movement in CityPlan directions.
Select preferred Vision options and directions - Choose preferred
Vision options and directions, and/or identify components which require
modification to maximize broad community support.
Approve Vision - Formally approve the Community Vision as a basis
for City policies and future actions; and approve strategic action plan
and allocation of any City resources to implement the Vision. Additional
InformationRolesMore detail on the roles of the community, Community
Liaison Group, and CityPlan staff
The community
- Provide information
- Provide information on local conditions, issues, and trends
- Generate ideas, values, desires, and needs
- Identify hopes, concerns, values, ideas, opportunities
- Create directions and material which will be assembled into Vision
options and directions
- Provide information to help evaluate Visions
- Review options and select a preferred Vision
- Review, discuss, and comment on Vision options and directions
- Select preferred Vision
- Monitor and participate in Vision implementation
- Identify priorities for Vision action
- Maintain awareness of the Vision and progress toward it
Community Liaison Group
This is a large group from the community who volunteer to participate in
the Community Vision process from start to finish. They may also choose
to assist in setting priorities for follow-up actions and continue to be
involved in the on-going implementation of the Vision.
Continuity
- Provide continuity of involvement through all steps in Visioning process
- Assist in developng strategic action plan to implement Vision after it
has been produced; and in ongoing monitoring (option for members, after
Vision, if they wish)
'Watch-dog'
- Help to ensure that a broad cross- section of the community has opportunities
to participate and comment
- Help to ensure that materials are provided to the community in a way that
is meaningful, understandable, and unbiased
- Ensure that a wide range of alternatives and points of view are represented
in events and materials for the rest of the community to see and comment
on
- Make the process, and the CityPlan team's activities in the process, more
transparent and public
Outreach
- Suggest ways to increase participation
- Encourage other people and groups to participate.
Creativity
- Bring a wide range of voices, knowledge, interests, and experience to
assist the community's creation and evaluation of vision options
Other
- May help facilitate discussion groups
- All work open to public
- May set priorities, with the community, for vision implementation
The Liaison Committee's role is NOT to:
- advocate, delete, or select Vision options and directions
CityPlan staff includes staff from Planning and other departments.
Organize - Organize logistics for events, meetings, displays, surveys,
etc.
- Co-ordinate input from city departments
- Manage budget and staffing, as approved by City CouncilFacilitate meetings,
events, and ideas - Structure, set agenda, and facilitate meetings,
workshops, etc. to ensure the purpose of meeting is achieved, there is a
full discussion, and all perspectives are included. They may or may not
chair CLG meetings, depending on the CLG preference.
- Encourage the community to put forward a wide range of alternatives and
points of view, especially at the beginning of the process, to create and
to evaluate Visions
- Help find common ground as the process unfolds and on a final vision
- Call in outside facilitation and/or mediation where/if useful
- Assist in developing innovative ideas and approaches to include in the
VisionOutreach and communication - Consult with existing groups,
key informants, and others on ways to help increase participation and communication
- Strive for broad and inclusive communication, participation, dialogue,
and input throughout all steps in the process
- Incorporate participation and communication on a variety of scales and
formats'Watchdog'- Make sure that each step in the process is followed
- Check that all CityPlan topics are included
- Ensure that Vision options and directions are consistent with CityPlan
directionsIllustrate, document, and prepare displays and reports
- Document information and material generated by participants at each step
of the process, as a basis for subsequent steps
- Illustrate Vision options and directions and the final vision by creating
displays, brochures, etc. based on material generated by the community
- Prepare required documents and reports, including reports to City CouncilInformation
and technical advice: - Provide information on the CityPlan directions,
and on neighbourhood, city, and regional needs in relation to the CityPlan
directions
- Provide information, ideas, and advice that can help people explore possibilities
and create a wide range of vision options
- Provide information to help people evaluate Vision options and directions.
This is information that compares each Vision option to the CityPlan directions
and to community needs, as well as any other pros and cons identified by
participantsThe CityPlan staff role is NOT to: - invent, advocate, delete,
or select optionsSelecting CommunitiesSize, boundaries, and prioritiesAreas
to be Visioned
The Community Vision pilot program in Kensington-Cedar Cottage and Dunbar
area showed that the Program successfully create a long range, multi-topic
set of directions for the future of an area. It is most suited for taking
the many topics of CityPlan into areas which have not had planning previously,
or if they have had planning, have not dealt with some of the main CityPlan
issues. Council has approved the Visions Program to be extended into these
parts of the city, which are the predominantly single-family areas. Other
areas, which have had planning programs in the past or have them underway,
will not be covered by the Vision Program. Council has requested a report
back from staff in early 2001 on details of how to review these using another,
less comprehensive program.
In terms of Vision area size, the pilot showed that with appropriate staffing
and other resources, quite large areas can be Visioned, e.g. KCC at 42,400
residents. The future Vision areas are shown on Map 1. Their average population
[excluding West Point Grey] is 36,570 residents.
These areas are large enough to allow people to consider broader patterns,
such as arterial streets, neighbourhood centre location[s], community facilities
and so forth. However, each community contains more than one "neighbourhood"
as people commonly use the term. The Program recognizes and respects these
smaller neighbourhoods in several ways:
- the Program will not rely on a single "central" location
in the community for displays, outreach, and events but will be designed
to reach people in all parts of the community, at the places that people
go, and through material they receive
- familiarity with all parts of the community will be important in creating
Visions, and the Community Liaison Group will have members from all
parts of the community
- the Visions recognize neighbourhoods by allowing for different geographically-specific
Vision directions for different areas. For example, there may be more
than one neighbourhood centre, development character, design of public
places, etc. The responses to the Choices Survey are also mapped to
see if different sub-areas hold different opinions, and ensure that
there isn't a geographical bias in the responses.
Deciding exact boundaries
The Vision areas consist of one or more " Local Areas" as currently
used by the City. These Local Area boundaries are used to define the edges
of Vision areas because:
- many are at the edges of Vancouver, or correspond with a major land
use change
- most do not go through the middle of a neighbourhood shopping street
which are likely
- locations for a neighbourhood centre
- there is specialized Census data available for these areas
However, these boundaries will serve as guides rather rigid boundaries.
That is, people can explore directions that extend beyond the edges of a
local area, and people from adjacent areas can participate in [but not vote
on] the Vision of a neighbouring area if they feel it relates to them.
Determining priorities for Visions areas
At the 1996 public forum to select the two pilot Vision areas, participants
developed selection criteria to assess which communities were most in need
of Visions. The criteria included:
- development pressures [e.g. population turnover, rezoning applications,
house demolitons]
- transportation pressures [e.g. traffic volumes; truck volumes]
- being deficient in community services and amenities [park space shortage,
child care shortage, shelter affordability issues, crime rate]; and
- diverisity issues [non-English home language, income diversity, new
immigrant].
Staff used these criteria to create a rank order of local areas based on
need for planning. This order was then adjusted to take account of the timing
of transit station area planning, and the desirability of doing adjacent
areas at the same time. The resulting order is shown in Map 1. [A separate
background report is available on the ranking of areas.]Other Aspects of
VisionsDifferences in visions; existing plans; targets, impacts; rezonings;
a 30 year horizon; Vision implementationDifferences in vision process
and content
Some aspects of the Vision process will be custom designed for each
community but they will all follow the same basic steps. There will also
be differences in the content of Visions. Although all communities will
address all CityPlan topics, each may move in those directions in its own
ways. Some communities may be able to develop more detail on some topics.
Visions and existing plans
While the communities included in the Vision Program have not had
full local area plans in the past, some small sub-areas have had planning
that included substantial community input. In some cases, city-wide plans
that affect the community have been adopted, e.g. the Greenways Plan and
the Transportation Plan. These plans would likely be the basis of some Vision
directions or options. Alternatives may also be suggested during workshops,
or the community may develop a more detailed Vision than communities which
start with no pre-existing plan.
Visions and population targets
There are no regional population targets for neighbourhoods. The regional
strategy (the Greater Vancouver Regional District's Livable Region Strategic
Plan) is to reduce sprawl and auto dependency by concentrating future
population growth in areas already urbanized.
As described throughout the CityPlan process, the region has indicated that
it would be beneficial if the city could accommodate 160,000 more people
over the next thirty years. [i.e. a total of 635,000 by 2021.] CityPlan
supports the overall regional strategy, and the figure of 635,000 was used
for illustrative purposes in CityPlan's public program. However, the adopted
CityPlan does not include specific population targets.
City Council adopted a Regional Context Statement [RCS] in support of the
Livable Region Strategic Plan, which states how the City's policies support
the regional plan. The RCS states that the City can accommodate between
615,000 and 642,000 residents using capacity available under existing zoning
or anticipated projects.
While the total numbers of people that can be accommodated are consistent
with regional goals, most of the additional units would be apartments. The
need for ground-oriented housing called for in the regional plan, and the
housing variety called for in the adopted CityPlan is not fully met.
CityPlan participants said they want more opportunities to stay in familiar
neighbourhoods as their housing needs change, and this means additional
housing, but of a different type. The City expects that community Visions
will move toward meeting these needs, but there are no preset targets which
must be met.
The impact of Visions on development and density
Community visions are expected to support the CityPlan direction of increasing
the variety of housing in neighbourhoods that don't have housing variety
now. In many single- family parts of the city, adding housing variety will
involve redevelopment and more density - in a way that each community feels
reflects their neighbourhood and its needs.
The Vision process will provide each neighbourhood with information on its
needs and on city and regional needs. It will help each neighbourhood determine
approximately where, how much, and what type of additional development it
will accommodate in the future, and the preconditions for new development.
People will be able to review and consider their own neighbourhood's housing
needs, generated by the people in the neighbourhood as they go through different
stages of their lives.
However, Visions are not focused on housing. They are about the full sense
of neighbourhood and community. They will be equally concerned with all
the topics that CityPlan participants said are important, including development
character, safety, transportation, and parks and public places.
Visions and rezoning requests
Rezoning applications are made across the city on a regular basis. It is
not reasonable to halt all applications until all Visions are complete.
Neither is it reasonable to consider rezonings which could prejudice a community
Vision before, or while, the Vision process is underway.
For this reason, City Council has adopted a "Rezoning policy for before
and during neighbourhood Visioning." The policy is to continue to process
rezoning applications or inquiries that were underway on January 18, 1996.
Rezoning applications will also be considered where Council-approved plans
or policies support rezoning, as well as for heritage, social or affordable
housing, and public or non-profit facilities. Other rezonings would be assessed
to determine if they set significant new directions or foreclose options
for a community Vision. If so, the policy calls for them not to be considered,
unless the risk of development proceeding under the current zoning would
even more seriously jeopardize a Vision. Normally, staff will provide this
advice to inquirers, noting, however, that an inquirer retains the right
to make a formal rezoning application and have Council directly consider
how it fits into this rezoning policy.
As part of the Vision itself, each neighbourhood will need to give guidance
as to what rezonings could be entertained after the Vision, and under what
conditions.
Visions have a 30 year time horizon
The Community Vision Program asks communities to look 30 years ahead. Communities
will be given information to help them consider both the short- term and
the 30 year future. But it is not necessary to plan now in detail for a
30-year end point for each CityPlan topic. The Vision is a framework, it
will need to be revisited and revised over time as the communities and their
needs, conditions, and ideas change.
Action plan for Vision implementation
Implementing Visions may draw on existing City programs or funding sources,
such as, traffic calming, beautification, neighbourhood matching fund, greenways
program, and social and cultural grants. Where new development is anticipated,
residents will set priorities for the use of development cost levies and
community amenity contributions. Visions may also identify new funding sources
and other ways people can help make the Vision happen.
A specific budget for CityPlan implementation is not included in the upcoming
2000 - 2003 Capital Plan. Rather, as priorities are identified through Community
Visions, these will provide guidance to work undertaken through established
capital budgets.
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