The Rockyview Official Community Plan (OCP) planning process will create one OCP and one zoning bylaw for the western portion of Electoral Area C by:

  • updating the current Rockyview OCP and consolidating it with the existing Moyie & Area OCP; and
  • consolidating the existing Wycliffe Zoning Bylaw with the Electoral Area C South Zoning Bylaw.

Discussions are also taking place with the residents of Perry Creek/Old Town about including that area within the geographic scope of the consolidated OCP. The proposed title for the consolidated OCP is the Cranbrook Rural, Moyie, and Wycliffe OCP.

PROJECT RELAUNCH

Initial engagement on the Rockyview OCP was completed during the first half of 2023, and the input received by residents remains appreciated and valuable. After this two-year gap, it is important to hear from residents again before drafting the consolidated OCP because residents’ ideas and priorities may have changed. Therefore, the planning process to update the Rockyview OCP and consolidate it with the Moyie & Area OCP is being relaunched with plans that include a series of open houses and invitational meetings in the late summer and fall 2025 across the OCP area. We look forward to building on what we already learned so that a revised OCP can be made available for public review early in 2026.

GET INVOLVED

Project success depends on hearing and understanding the diverse points of view, ideas, and information held by residents, First Nations, government agencies, and interest-holders from across the OCP area.

Specifically, feedback from the Ktunaxa Nation, Shuswap Band, Métis Association, City of Cranbrook, Agricultural Land Commission, Interior Health, BC Ministry of Transportation and Transit, and School Districts will be sought.

Please reach out if your organization or group would like to engage directly with RDEK staff about the OCP. To sign up for email updates, go to Email Group Sign Up | RDEK and select your preferred mailings list(s).

Frequently Asked Questions

An OCP is a long term, strategic planning document that contains objectives and policy statements related to a range of topics including residential, commercial, agricultural, industrial, recreational, environmental, solid waste, public safety, and transportation. These policies are intended to reflect the residents’ vision and serve to guide decision making by the RDEK Board of Directors OCPs related to how land is used or conserved. OCP policies also provide context for interagency referrals related to land use.

An OCP will:

  • provide a blueprint for future growth and development
  • identify and promote a local vision for development and conservation within the community
  • provide direction for the RDEK Board when considering development applications
  • enable a proactive rather than reactive approach to planning
  • assist in identifying issues of importance or concern
  • assist in preventing incompatible land uses

An OCP will not:

  • change Agricultural Land Reserve regulations
  • change the ownership of Crown land
  • affect land uses existing at the time the Bylaw is adopted
  • affect existing permit requirements or other government regulations

At this time, there are 15 official community plans and one land use bylaw being administered by the RDEK. Consolidating OCPs helps ensure that there is consistency across electoral areas and makes them easier to use by residents and staff alike.

Updating the Rockyview OCP provides an opportunity to consolidate it with the existing Moyie & Area OCP. Since the Moyie & Area OCP was completed recently, the goal is not to start from scratch for this geographic area. Rather, consolidating OCPs provides an opportunity to identify potential clarifications or amendments needed to address learnings gained by using and administering the Moyie & Area OCP over the last few years. The Rockyview OCP is older and warrants a thorough review. Consolidation of OCPs will enable consistency across geographic areas while still addressing specific differences where needed.

A zoning bylaw governs land use and the form, siting, height, and density of all development within the OCP area to provide for the orderly development of the community and to avoid conflicts between incompatible uses. Typically, there are residential, commercial, agricultural, recreational, institutional, industrial and other zones. Each zone has its own specific regulations.