Port Moody 2050: updating our Official Community Plan

At this time, more than one single family residence is already permitted on most single family zoned residential lots in the City, in the form of laneway housing. Large lots can also be subdivided, if these meet small lot size requirements, which can yield up to 6 units total – 2 houses, each with a secondary suite and a laneway house.  As part of the Official Community Plan update currently underway, there is discussion of where and how this transition from existing single family forms to denser forms including duplex, triplex, and quadplex could work and contribute to both housing diversity and affordability.  

Map 11 will be updated as part of the OCP review. Survey 2 provided opportunities for the public to provide input on neighbourhoods outside the Moody Centre TOD. The engagement summary can be found at: Port Moody 2050 Community Survey 2 Summary 2021-09-12.pdf. In addition, the upcoming community dialogue sessions in fall 2022 or early 2023 will provide further opportunities for the public to provide input into neighbourhoods outside of Moody Centre TOD.

The land use scenarios identified in Community Survey #3 are conceptual and are not development proposals. The OCP update has a strong climate lens informed by the Climate Action Plan (2020). In addition, the upcoming Sea Level Rise Strategy will inform particular area policies in the OCP including Oceanfront District. The policies and recommendations in the Climate Action Plan and Sea Level Rise Strategy will need to be addressed as part of any future development proposal.

Port Moody Council provided specific direction on what to include in the land use scenarios tor Moody Centre TOD in the Council report: Response to Oct 12, 2021 OCP 2050 Project Direction – Survey No. 3, Jan. 25, 2022, Item 5.12  and in Attachment 2 – Table of Survey No. 3 Motions. This includes the following:

Provide scenario options as a ranked choice for Moody Centre TOD that include current i) Consortium proposal; ii) a scenario focused primarily on jobs density and innovation spaces; iii) a mostly low-rise residential scenario with some local shopping; iv) a combination of low-rise, mid-rise, and residential scenario with business and jobs spaces.

Additional context can be located in the report mentioned above.

Every year School District No. 43 engages municipalities to provide 10 year housing projections separated by housing type.  SD43 uses these projections to identify the need for and location of new school sites in the district and then sets the School Sites Acquisition Charge (a per dwelling unit charge paid by residential developers) accordingly to fund these new school sites.  The projection information provided by the City of Port Moody is based on existing development projects nearing construction completion and development applications at earlier stages of approval.   Future longer term residential growth is also considered as part of this process, particularly those areas anticipated to experience significant growth beyond the 10 year projection horizon.  A July 28, 2020 Report to Council related to this process can be found here (see Item 5.8).  General information on School Site Acquisition Charge Regulation can also be found on the Province’s website .

The Official Community Plan (OCP) is our long-term vision for Port Moody. This document provides the City with policies to guide land use, services, and the physical, social, and economic changes in our community. Although it is not expected to be revised on a frequent basis, an OCP can be amended to respond to changing conditions and values thereby keeping the plan alive and relevant.  This makes the OCP a dynamic document.   

For the OCP to reflect the needs and aspirations of Port Moody residents, it must evolve as conditions and values change in the community and region. New opportunities will present themselves and new approaches to addressing issues and needs will continue to be developed. 

Any changes to the OCP, including those related to new development, involve an extensive review by city staff, external agencies, community members, and Council before consideration of approval. This process ensures that the vision and needs of the community are compatible with the proposal.

As part of the region’s Major Road Network, St. Johns Street facilitates movement not only within Port Moody, but also provides important connections to other parts of the region.  As such, it accommodates both local and regional traffic and is affected by growth beyond Port Moody’s borders. 

The City’s Master Transportation Plan, TransPort Moody, identifies how St. Johns Street in particular will function in the short and long term.  This includes a street redesign to accommodate a multi-modal shift to other forms of transportation (e.g. cycling, walking, and transit) to reduce reliance on vehicles. 

More detail on future plans for St. Johns Street can be found in the TransPort Moody, Port Moody’s Master Transportation Plan

For the Moody Centre Transit-Oriented Development Area, the OCP does not state that the grocery store is intended to be small. The fact that a grocery store is specifically included as a desired use in the redevelopment of this area speaks to how important this component is for this area.  A large comprehensive development of the Moody Centre TOD area provides the best opportunity to integrate a large grocery store as part of an overall development plan, particularly when combined with new residential growth to support this use.  The specific details related to building form and uses are determined at the rezoning stage of a development.  Rezoning approval is subject to public input and requires Council approval.  Important components such as a grocery store can be formalized at this stage.

At this time, there are no co-ops under application with the City. Co-ops are encouraged as a form of affordable housing and City staff maintain contact with the Co-operative Housing Federation of B.C. and Metro Vancouver Housing Corporation regarding potential co-op housing opportunities in Port Moody.

OCPs are typically reviewed and considered for revision every 5-10 years.  It's been 7 years since the public was last asked to comment on the OCP's vision and goals and a lot has changed over this time.  The 2020/2021 Official Community Plan update provides an opportunity for all community members to reflect on the current directions that guide growth in Port Moody and share their vision and priorities for the future of the City.

The development review process for the Coronation Park application is underway and is not tied to the timelines for the Port Moody 2050 Official Community Plan update.