MASTER PLAN SECTION

Sustainability

To be truly comprehensive, a good Master Plan incorporates sustainability & "smart growth" principles throughout. To see how sustainability is planned for in a community, click on any of the links below:

The Comprehensive Planning Process

The development of 764 acres of "raw land" requires a far more comprehensive planning process than the development of an independent subdivision or building does.

It begins with intensive research, using Cumberland’s Official Community Plan both as a starting point and as a reference throughout the exercise. It documents the most important environmental and physical features of each lot, studies each lot's adjacencies, and assesses each in terms of its realistic market potential. Throughout the process, it outlines a number of scenarios that begin to identify the most suitable land use, the formation of various neighbourhoods, and the relationship between these neighbourhoods and the existing Village and rural landscape.

As the land use scenarios are refined, development phasing is considered, and infrastructure and transportation solutions are added. The final draft of all these scenarios is called the “Master Plan”.

Comprehensive planning adds value and quality of life to the community


The Canadian Institute of Planners defines the comprehensive planning process as:

“the scientific, aesthetic, and orderly disposition of land, resources, facilities and services with a view to securing the physical, economic and social efficiency, health and well-being of urban and rural communities”.

Comprehensive planning assures that:

  • Land planning is broad in scope, sustainable and integrated.
  • There is a mix of land uses and transportation options, with public linkages between neighbourhoods
  • The conversion of land from natural habitats to developed areas is eased by respecting the topography of the land, its adjacency to other developed areas, and its environmental features.
  • Infrastructure is planned ahead to serve new businesses and residents, and enhanced and/or maintained to better serve existing businesses and residents.
  • Environmentally sensitive areas, open spaces and natural resources are preserved and/or enhanced.
  • The development is economically viable and fiscally responsible, both for the community and the developer.

Comprehensive planning leads to more sustainable development


The scale of Trilogy's proposed development at Cumberland warrents the time and effort taken to develop a really comprehensive Master Plan. Because the proposed amendments to the Village's Official Community Plan created huge controversy from the beginning, the municipal process has taken far longer than it does for a smaller development.

Despite the controversy, Trilogy believes that all its OCP and zoning amendment applications were absolutely necessary in order that each Lot could contribute to the long-term economic, social, and environmental sustainability of Cumberland

Strategic Directions Plan
Trilogy’s planning process looks at all the land with respect to its adjacencies and natural amenities. It explores ways to link the Lots back to the Village core, and highlights all main environmental features. For an enlarged view, click here.


Regional Growth Strategy
Comprehensive planning on a massive scale has recently been undertaken by the Comox Valley Regional District, who is looking at the region as a whole. To see how their draft recommendations might affect development in Cumberland, click on the links below

© 2008 Trilogy Properties Inc