People who live in Fort St John are invited to visit City Hall on Monday evening at six to provide feedback on a municipal document outlining community values, priorities, and goals.
Fort St John’s draft Official Community Plan is prepared by staff and is currently in its “finalize” phase. This means if all goes well at their public hearing this Monday, Dec. 8, the city council will formally adopt the municipal document they have been developing since last fall.
Goals identified in the document include building community, fueling the economy, keeping the ecosystem healthy, and providing reliable services, including transportation.
To foster community, the city plans to welcome newcomers to the region and provide opportunities for residents to meet one another.
“The city is committed to enhancing active lifestyles by providing well maintained and conveniently located green spaces, trails, and recreational facilities for exercise and play,” they said. Continuing to provide park space and enhancing winter activities are both on their radar.
The city said it is also prioritizing advocacy to higher levels of government.
“(Policies include advocating) on behalf of citizens to the province for improved healthcare services (and partnering) with the provincial government, Fort St John RCMP, and community groups to enhance public safety and address key social changes,” explained city staff in the plan.
It also outlines the city’s economic aspirations for the next five years, as the document must be updated in 2030. The city wants to promote tourism by beautifying city signs and exploring ways to further develop its downtown through the development of a “curbside patio program for the downtown area to make public spaces livelier.” Their plan also includes supporting agriculture and protecting farmland in the rural areas of the city.
Regarding housing, the city said it expects “to experience moderate population growth” at a rate of 1.8 per cent, according to the plan. They said data anticipated an additional 1,031 new units being necessary within the next five years and 3,923 in the next 20.
Another goal of the plan is to host twice annual meetings of an OCP implementation group, that may be created, and a report presented to the city council once per year.
