As the city of Coquitlam prepares a neighbourhood plan for Maillardville, staff and council say they are hoping to avoid some of the public consultation problems that followed a similar process in Austin Heights.
During the adoption of the Austin Heights Neighbourhood Plan, mail-outs, public input sessions, billboards and newspaper ads were used in an effort to engage the community. But when the plan was completed and the first proposals for high-density developments went to a public hearing, many residents were outraged, saying they had no idea what was coming.
During Monday's land use committee meeting, Coun. Selina Robinson said she hopes the city could learn from the Austin Heights process as it approached Maillardville.
"I am wondering if there are folks who might have suggested what we could have done differently," Robinson said. "One of the concerns I have is we are going to go through this process and... when it comes to fruition there are still going to be people who say they didn't know about it."
Jim McIntyre, the city's general manager of planning and development, said that while the public notification process is extensive, "there is always room for improvement."
With the Maillardville plan, a number of mail-outs and public notices will be circulated and the city will do a better job of documenting what information has been distributed.
"We want to look at this process and redouble our efforts to make sure those who want to get involved have the opportunity to do that," he said. "We will leave no stone unturned."
The Maillardville Neighbourhood Plan is a document that will guide the city in land use decisions for years to come. The plan will include the area between Rochester Avenue, the Trans-Canada Highway, Laurentian Crescent and Hart and Alison streets.
During the public consultation process, residents will be invited to share their thoughts on a variety of subjects, including housing choices, multi-family developments, parks and greenways, heritage conservation, transportation and the integration of watershed management plans for Nelson and Como Creek.
Two public open houses will be held. The first one will be this fall and consist of discussions about the vision and principles of the plan. The second consultation will take place next winter and focus on the third phase, which includes land use concepts, policy strategies and design directions.
The city began discussing the creation of the Maillardville Neighbourhood Plan in 2009 but the initiative was put on hold in 2010 following the departure of several staffers. According to a city report, staff is ready to reconvene the planning process and expect a document will be ready by 2012. The city is also looking for interested residents to participate in the public advisory group.
DETAILS, DETAILS
For more information about the plan and the upcoming consultation process go to www.coquitlam.ca.
gmckenna@tricitynews.com
