Productive in Principle - Agriculture plan ready for public scrutiny

Thursday December 1, 2011

City Hall News

Productive in Principle

Agriculture plan ready for public scrutiny

Released by Starlee Renton, City of Chwk

draft version of the Chilliwack Agricultural Area Plan is now ready for public review and input and will be presented at two upcoming open houses. Underway since May 2010, the draft Plan identifies key issues affecting the sustainability of agriculture in Chilliwack and strategic actions to address those issues.

“It is estimated that 30% of Chilliwack’s economic activity can be attributed to agriculture and our lands are some of the most productive in the province,” said Mayor Sharon Gaetz. “The objective of the draft Agriculture Area Plan is to identify and address key issues affecting the sustainability of this important industry and strengthen our approach to comprehensive community planning.”

The City of Chilliwack and the Chilliwack Agricultural Commission (CAC) set out to develop an Agricultural Area Plan in 2009 as a complement to Official Community Plan (OCP) policies. Developed in partnership with the CAC, with significant input from agricultural stakeholders, the purpose of the project was to identify policies and bylaws supportive of farming, to develop a shared vision of agriculture in the community, improve rural/urban interface, integrate agriculture with other priorities in rural areas and to support an updated economic strategy for agriculture.

Funding for the creation of the draft Plan was provided in part by the Agricultural Investment Foundation of B.C. through programs it delivers on behalf of Agriculture and Agri‐Food Canada and the B.C. Ministry of Agriculture, the City of Chilliwack and Chilliwack Economic Partners Corporation. Following public input and finalization of the Plan, the CAC will be requesting that Council adopt the Plan as a sub plan or schedule to the Official Community Plan in early 2012. Additional information on this project is available at www.chilliwack.com/agriculturalareaplan

The Draft Plan will be presented at two open houses:

Monday, December 5, 2011 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Twin Rinks (Fraser Room) located at 5725 Tyson Road, Chilliwack B.C.

Thursday, December 8, 2011 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Evergreen Hall (Cheam Room) located at 9291 Corbould Street, Chilliwack B.C.