Feedback wanted on Swanson Lumber Road Area Plan

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The city is creating an area plan for the Swanson Lumber
Road zone and is looking for feedback.

The work builds on the initial Let’s Talk Neighbourhood Plans work that was started in 2020 but had to be placed on hold due to the pandemic.

Earlier this year, discussions were reportedly held with stakeholders, property owners, and agencies before a draft was drawn.

The next step is community engagement before the plan is reviewed by “key agencies” for support and then presented for bylaw adoption in early 2023.

The City of Fort St. John said the project will be led by the city’s planning division and will include critical review and input to line up other plans, strategies, bylaws, and policies within the Official Community Plan (OCP).

According to the city’s website, an Area Plan is a secondary plan to the OCP that supports and identifies future land development within a specific area.

The Area Plan is linked to the OCP through an amendment and includes specific policy direction and maps to describe topics including land uses, services and development phasing over time.

Key community development aspects must be addressed and are essential for future development, said the city.

The OCP is a document that sets a five to 20-year vision for the community, while the Area Plan will reportedly provide guidance and direction specific to the area.

For more information, visit the Swanson Lumber Road Area Plan page on the city’s website, and visit the “Get Involved” tab to provide input to developmentservices@fortstjohn.ca.

Planning manager Renée Jamurat can also be reached at 250-787-5786.