Crofton Community Local Area Plan - North Cowichan · 2014-01-31 · Crofton Community Local Area Plan Table of Contents: 1.0 Overview Page 1 1.1 North Cowichan Official Community

Crofton Community Local Area Plan

Table of Contents:

1.0 Overview Page 11.1 North Cowichan Official Community Plan Page 11.2 North Cowichan Climate Action & Energy Plan Page 3 1.3 Crofton Community Advisory Working Group Page 41.4 Key Demographic Trend Page 62.0 Analysis Exhibits Page 7 Topographical Relief Page 8 Ecological Sensitive Areas Page 9 OCP Trail Networks Page10 Trail Networks Page 11 Existing Settlement patterns Page12 Wildfire Risk Assessment Page13 Areas of Potential Archealogical Significance Page14 Existing Fire Flows Diagram Page15 Sewage Collection Systems Page16 Potable Water Distribution System Page17 ALR Lands Page18 NC Forest Reserve Lands Page19 Existing Conditions Air Photo Page 20 Current Zoning Overlays Page 21 Existing Conditions - Focus Area Page 22 Existing Conditions - Joan Street West Block Page 23 Existing Conditions - Joan Street East Block Page 24 3.0 Open House 1 Page 253.1 What is a Local Area Plan? Page 253.2 Structure of the Open House Page 263.3 Sounding Boards Page 273.4 Open House Participant’s Home Locations Page 333.5 Visual Preferencing Page 34

Advisory Working Group Members:

Robin Fisher Crofton Community CentreShane Mayea Local Resident/BuilderShauna Mann Local ResidentTony Van de Mortel Local Business Owner/BuilderDan Robin Local Resident/BuilderCarol Donnelly Crofton Senior SocietyRona Blackburn Local ResidentRandy Gauthier Local ResidentLee Burridge Crofton Fire Chief/LandownerJohn Blair Local ResidentRick Lebitschnig Crofton Community Centre SocietyDonna Brooks Crofton Community Centre SocietyDave Hladik Crofton Community Centre SocietyJim Atkinson Local Resident, volunteer fire fighterDr. Kelly Bannister POLIS Project, University of VictoriaBarb Lines North Cowichan Municipal CouncillorPenny McLennan Local Resident

Crofton Community Local Area Plan - The Vision 1Draft

1.0 Overview

In September of 2013, JWT Design was appointed by North Cowichan to prepare a Local Area Plan for the town of Crofton.

The Crofton Community Local Area Plan (LAP) will form part of a larger planning hierarchy that already includes the North Cowichan Official Community Plan and the North Cowichan Climate Action and Energy Plan (CAEP), helping to flesh out and implement these strategic policies at the community scale. This baseline report builds on those plans and other background documents and begins to explore what the future may look like for Crofton as the first step to achieving a Local Area Plan for Crofton.

The Local Area Plan is intended to visualize and articulate public input on what Crofton could look like in 5, 10 , 20, or even 50 years. The visualization process is steered by Crofton Community Advisory Working Group and includes the broader community at key input stages. The Advisory Working Group consists of individuals with a variety of backgrounds that represents a cross section of interests and views to help guide the future. The group was struck in 2013 as a precursor to undertaking the Crofton LAP.

1.1 North Cowichan Official Community Plan

The North Cowichan Official Community Plan (OCP) was adopted in 2011. The OCP reflects the community’s principles, goals and objectives that are intended to guide decision making.

The OCP is based on 5 key principles and 5 key goals, which provide a context for the Crofton Local Area Plan:

Principles GoalsSustainability Preserve our rural settingEconomic opportunity Guard our environmentSmart growth Adjust to climate changeHealthy and safe community Encourage economic opportunitiesCommunity engagement Build strong communities

To achieve OCP principles and goals the OCP identifies Crofton as one of three growth centres within North Cowichan. As well as addressing the principles and goals by focusing development in growth centres, growth can be accommodated more efficiently, minimizes short and long term costs to the community and takes advantage of the facilities that are in place.

Growth centres are the core areas of each of these communities and contain municipal services, commercial/retail activities, schools and other facilities that are the foundation of community.

The preparation of local area plans within growth centres is a priority for the municipality. It is recognized that the local area plan for Crofton will be more fine grained and will include specific goals and objectives than the more broad-based OCP. However, it is expected that the Crofton Local Area Plan will conform to the many overarching policies contained in the OCP and the CAEP.

The following key excerpts from the OCP illustrate the goals and objectives that provide specific direction with respect to Crofton. Both the general overarching policies and the specific Crofton policies will underpin the formation of the Crofton Local Area Plan. The direction is multi-facetted and integrated meaning that the intent is to develop a resilient and sustainable community that incorporates the following environmental, social, economic and cultural goals: (Sec. 2.2.1.6)

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community endeavours, inclusion of all ages and diverse backgrounds; (OCP policy 2.5.4)

Community and Neighbourhood – local area planning and engagement; (OCP policy 2.5.5)

Transportation – integrative approach to accommodate all modes of travel (walking, cycling, transit, auto); (OCP policy 2.5.6)

Infrastructure – safe drinking water, sewage system management, manage rainwater, solid waste and recycling; (OCP policy 2.5.7)

Parks and Recreation – consider opportunities for all ages; integrate park, natural protection areas & trails; (OCP policy 2.5.8)

Economy - promote good urban design, invest in the public realm to build the local economy, create more liveable communities; considers town centre area revitalization and the protection of existing investment by businesses in the area to be priorities. (OCP policy 2.4.1)

In addition to the principles, goals, and sustainable community policies, the following are policy excerpts related specifically to Crofton:

Crofton Environment and WaterfrontThe municipality recognizes and will protect the unique and special characteristics of ocean foreshores and other waterfront areas. (OCP policy 2.2.1.6)

Development that would alienate the foreshore from public access or negatively impact on the natural environment will be discouraged. Public access to and along the waterfront is a priority consideration in all development proposals. Provision will be made for access through or around any structure that extends beow the high watermark (except along industrially designated shorelines). (OCP policy 2.2.1.6)

The OCP support community access to the Crofton Community Waterfront which includes (OCP policy 2.4.4.9):o Securing the use and development of the waterfront for public benefit;o Maintaining public facilities such as the government dock;o Clean-up of the small craft harbour is a priority;o Connectivity of Crofton with the rest of North Cowichan is a priority;

Housing – Housing Continuum that recognizes the need to address a range of housing needs; (OCP policy 2.5.2)

Public Realm – develop and enhance public use areas, conserve heritage and environmental values; (OCP policy 2.5.3)

Safe and Healthy Community – knowing your neighbours, engaging residents in


1.2 North Cowichan Climate Action & Energy Plan

The Climate Action and Energy Plan includes a series of recommended climate mitigation and adaptation actions that support the goals and objectives contained in the OCP regarding growth centres.

Climate mitigation means taking steps to reduce Green House Gas emissions while adaptation means taking steps to adjust to the present and future effects of climate change.

Growth centres are the core area of a community and contain municipal services, commercial/retail activities, schools and other facilities that are the foundation of community. Urban Containment Boundary (UCB) identifies the limits within which growth can occur.

The targets set out in the CAEP include achieving a 33% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions under 2007 levels by 2025 and an 80% reduction by 2050 (in line with the Provincial target). The following recommendations should be considered as part of the implementation of the Crofton Local Area Plan.

Transportation –densification that supports walking, cycling, use of transitImplementing OCP Policies – density targets, compact communitiesFood Security – grow and sell food on lots in growth centresUpdate bylaws, Provide incentives – urban forest strategy to increase trees in urban areas, green design, conservation.Energy Policy – inclusion of renewal energy use/options

Develop a comprehensive strategy to facilitate increased density in the Urban Growth Containment Boundaries.• Establish density targets for the commercial core areas and neighboorhood centres;• Undertake a feasibility study to establish a density bonusing program;• Establish a community contribution policy and procedures;• Ensure Urban Containment Boundaries are not increased;• Review development cost charges (DCC’s) to encourage smaller units and zero emission developments.

Establish a Transportation Demand Management (TDM) strategy. A TMD strategy is intended to reduce demand for vehicle use.

Left:Demonstration graphic of the GhG’s from different modes of transportation supporting many of the arguments for the goals of the CAEP.

Lower Left:Green building concepts. Each comes with a price tag and thus the need for innovate strategies to support green and energy efficient redevelopment.

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1.3 Crofton Community Advisory Working Group

The Municipality of North Cowichan established an Advisory Working Group (AWG) in 2013 to begin the OCP policy of developing a Local Area Plan for Crofton.

Council provided a budget in support of OCP policy to develop a local area plan for Crofton. Municipal staff held an initial information meeting early 2013. Following that meeting those members of the community who were interested worked with staff to develop a mutually supportable public input process. That group of interested community members also discussed the makeup of the AWG to ensure a representative cross section of the community.

The role of the AWG is to provide advice, suggestions, input and feedback to municipal staff and consultants related to the development of the Local Area Plan. The AWG is also expected to support obtaining feedback from all stake-holders who have an interest in Crofton.

Advisory Working Group Walkabout

One of the first tasks in which the AWG undertook with the planning consultants was a walk around the focus area. An informal conversation occurred in which Lee Burridge gave a historical overview of the old slag site on the waterfront (now his campground) and some members discussed the phenomena of house boats being relocated from nearby marinas to permanent foundations on some of the vacant lots within the study area. Discussions also broached the potential uses of the old forestry offices now owned by North Cowichan, as well as resident concerns over ferry marshaling.


Community Strengths- Weaknesses-Opportunities-Threats (SWOT)

In mid-2013 the Advisory Working Group undertook an exercise to determine the Strengths-Weaknesses-Opportunities-Threats (SWOT) of the Crofton community. A summary is presented here.

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1.4 Key Demographic Trends

Please see the two graphs to the left for a snapshot of Crofton’s current demographic trends.

There are approximately 760 residential units within Crofton’s UCB. Based on a projected growth rate following current trends the greater Crofton area will require about 180 new housings units in the next 20 years.

A key concern to residents of Crofton is School Enrolment.

It is projected to decline thretening the status of the local school. A key goal of the plan highlighted in the review of background documemnts is how to attact young working families to the area and how to retain them.

Crofton Elementary Historical and Projected Total Headcount EnrolmentLong Range Facilities Plan


2.0 Analysis Exhibits

While this document builds on the several previous studies it includes a fresh look (site analysis) at the study area. To augment the OCP and the CAEP maps which can be found within their respected reports are several new or updated maps including: a topography (elevation) analysis, a slope map, and environmental analysis map, and several existing conditions maps. These graphic maps have assisted the designers and public in understanding the topography and devel-opment constraints of the study area. These maps are presented on the follow-ing pages.

The image below gives a bird’s eye view to what Crofton looks like. From the air it appears as an idealized small community of relatively evenly spaced array of single family homes located within a gridded lot pattern where the main com-mercial streets terminate at the water. On closer inspection we can see Crofton has a relatively low housing density and is struggling to support basic services.

In planning terminology urban fabric is often referred to as the transect ranging from a rural typology (T1) to a highly urban typology (T5). Our study area sits in the rural urban interface in an area of comparatively low density (single family lots) – the illustration represents the Crofton transect (T2 to T4); that is, eliminating the rural and the highest density urban.

Quick Fact:Crofton’s UCB Boundary measures about +/- 462 Acres and contains roughly 760 dwelling units. This equates to a settlement density of 1.6 Units/ Acre

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2.1 Elevation Map (Topographical Re-lief)

This exhibit gives a graphic portrayal of the relative heights of the study area’s topographical fea-tures. It portrays the study area as a defined basin which falls from an outer elevation of 158 metres to sea level providing primarily western slopes and western views to Saltspring Island.


2.2 Environmental Analysis Map

This exhibit illustrates key environmental constraints such as sensitive environmental areas, creeks and drainages. All water bodies (for example streams) are subject to riparian area regulation and are subject to minimum (10 m) and maximum (30m) protection area setbacks as determined by qualified professionals.

Further development along the foreshore is subject to similar review (see Appendix A: DPA-3 guidelines).

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2.3 OCP Trails Map

This exhibit illustrates the OCP proposed trails and trail connections along with the primary pedestrian corridors (in some cases simply widened shoulders).

Green Spaces


2.3a Trails Map

This exhibit illustrates the existing trails in and around Crofton.

Source:Cowichan TrailsNetwork and Community ConnectionsLanarc Consultants Ltd.

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2.4 Existing Village Fabric Plan

This exhibit focuses on the study boundary and portrays the existing settlement patterns of Crofton. It shows a relatively evenly spaced array of single family homes located within a gridded lot pattern.


2.5 Wildfire Risk Assessment Map

This exhibit illustrates the various stages of wildfire risk and illustrates that risk follows the development transect (higher risk in un-urbanized areas). Edge treatment may be required.

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2.6 ArchaeolgyArchaeological BranchPotential Significance in Crofton

The Heritage Conservation Act requires archaeological sites be protected. Consultation with a professional archaeologist may be required to determine the need for an archaeological impact assessment for any property. This opinion will need to be approved by a Heritage Resource Specialist with the Archaeology Branch, Province of BC.

For information on how you may be impacted see: http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/archaeology/property_owners_and_developers/frequently_asked_questions.htm#3


2.7 Fire FlowsThis exhibits was prepared by Delcan and illustrates the state of the fire suppression system (hydrants) within Crofton. As new development comes on stream systems often require upgrades to meet the required fire flows.

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2.8 Infrastructure -Sewage Collection Systems

This exhibit illustrates the existing extent of Crofton’s sewage collection system.

Stubs are illustrated on the southern parcels. Like all communities the system is constantly under maintenance with older lines being replaced and upgrades following new development.


2.9 Infrastructure -Water Delivery Systems

This exhibit illustrates the existing extent of Crofton’s potable water system.

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2.10 ALR Lands

This exhibit illustrates the existing extent of Crofton’s Agricultural Land Reserve. Note that the reserve areas flank the urban containment boundary (UCB).


2.11 MNC Lands

This exhibit illustrates the existing extent of Crofton’s MNC Forestry Reserve. Note that the reserve areas flank the urban containment boundary (UCB).

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2.12 Existing Conditions Air Photo

This exhibit illustrates at the same scale a detailed photographic portrayal of the study area’s features in plan view.

The study area measures approximately 187 Hectares/ 462 Acres


2.13 Existing Zoning

This exhibit illustrates the existing land use zones (corresponding to the local land use by-laws).

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2.14 Existing Conditions - Actual Land Uses - Study Focus Area

This exhibit illustrates in more detail the actual land use patterns found within Crofton’s commercial core (zoned C2). Note the vacant lots and single family residences which dominate Crofton’s downtown core.

The focus area measures approximately 17 Hectares/ 42 Acres


2.15 Existing Conditions Joan Street West Block

This exhibit illustrates through plan and photographs the existing conditions of Crofton’s downtown core (main street).

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2.16 Existing Conditions Joan Street East Block

This exhibit illustrates through plan and photographs the existing conditions of Crofton’s downtown core (main street).


3.0 Public Open House - November 19, 2013 - Introduction to the Project

This was the first of several public forum events intended to solicit input on which the Crofton Community Local Area Plan will be based. On display were the background analysis maps presented in this report and an explanation of the proposed planning process. At 7:00pm the JWT and members of the team provided participants with an overview of the project in a formal presentation format. There was a 15 minute question and answer period afterwards. No idea is a bad idea and this public event was presented as a precursor to the design process. Members of the public were invited through a community wide mail-out newsletter to come and have a say in the outcome of the project. The following is a documentation of the feedback gathered during the afternoon/ evening.

3.1 What is a Local Area Plan (LAP)?

A LAP is a policy plan which will be adopted by Council bylaw and prepared for smaller geographic areas of Municipalities where there is a need to provide more certainty and intent of what was envisaged in the OCP and ‘fleshing out’ in more detail how the OCP can be implemented in a smaller geographical or local area. The LAP will provide guidance for future decisions related to issues including land use, urban form, mobility and infrastructure issues.

The LAP will be subsequently approved and adopted by Council as Bylaw, fol-lowing a public hearing. The LAP is intended to provide a framework and level of strategic planning between the OCP, over a 30 year timeline.

We are undertaking a local area plan (LAP) for the community of Crofton to anticipate change which will come to the community regardless of planning efforts. Climate change, demographic change, technological change and economic change all steer the inevi-table changes which happen in any community. By respecting the past (cultural heritage of a community), embracing the present (current trends in community development and plan-ning) and anticipating the future, the citizens of Crofton can have a say in the outcome of the inevitable forces of change placed on the community.

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3.2 Structure of the Open House

Public engagement at the first open house was facilitated in four ways:

1. Passive DisplayFirst of all there was a passive display – self-explanatory by design which presented the background information of the LAP process. This included display panels explaining the planning parameters, the planning process and timeline, the background analysis maps and some of the important demographic statistics which will help frame the planning outcomes. 2. Presentation A 45 minute presentation was given with the Deputy Director of Planning/ manager of Sustainabilty Planning, Brian Green explaining the history of the project, James Tuer of JWT explaining the content of the open house and Greg Cory, the market research consultant explaining the opportunities and constraints of Crofton’s current economic trends.

3. Sounding Boards Two “sounding boards” have been on display in Crofton, one of them near the post office and a second one at the foyer of the open house. These sounding boards consisted of post-it notes in which participants were asked to write what they would like to see for Crofton.

4. Visual Preferencing Participants at the open house were asked to rate various “urban design” images illustrating different forms of the built environment for compatibility within the context of Crofton.

Participants were also asked if we missed anything and encouraged to write down their comments on flip charts.


Typical Sounding Board Comment

Composite photograph of the Post Office sounding board

3.3 Sounding Boards

A complete presentation of the sounding board follows. Planning staff have transcribed each comment and they are documented here. In total North Cowichan received over 135 individual comments, 105 of those were received at the Post Office sounding board (on display from November 17 to November 25, 2013) and 28 written comments received during the open house.

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Open House Sounding Board Comments November 19, 2013

• Preserve our views• Light to see the sea walk• Swim all summer in pool• Place No Thru sign where top of Chaplin turns to become Crofton Road so that traffic must turn at the top of Chaplin. A visibility problem seeing up Crofton Road for traffic coming south.• Lights- on both roads in & out of Crofton for safety!• Sidewalk up Osborne Bay Road hill• Keep the “village” area low height. Build tall buildings such as condos at the top end of Robert St. where the views are panoramic & unobstructed and fabulous• More Crosswalks in Crofton for the school kids on Queens Street at bus stops and traffic calming• I think Crofton is making a mistake by not highlighting its exceptional climate, which is even better than Vancouver. The rest of Canada would be green with envy if it heard more about this. And global warming is probably helping our good fortune. I may even start a Crofton Sub-Tropical Garden Society• I would like to see something useful done with the old elementary school rather than it be allowed to deteriorate & become a liability that has to be demolished.• Separate bike lane to Duncan & Chemainus• Community garden in large area• Please fix the road & “sidewalk” top of Berridge St. There is quite a drop-off. Traffic is heavy and nowhere to get off• Esthetically pleasing commercial buildings, housing and street area• Places for family events!• Tall buildings at the back, short buildings at the front. Preserve our views. Do not block the seafront• Youth – Pool is only open 6 weeks and is in need of repair. My son always cuts himself. Put senior swim in the morning• Beach – clean it up!• Rezone all R3 to R2 – do not allow duplex or dense box-like cheap construction on any of the south side of Adelaide to Tatlo• Upgrade secondary arterial highway from TCH to Crofton bypassing Halalt Reserve• Advertise meetings at least 1 month in advance in consecutive papers locally

• Plans that incorporate a green way of dealing with excess water runoff (an issue for many properties within Crofton)• I would love to see the pool opened for a longer period of time; not just 2 months of the year and have senior swimming in the a.m. and not at 5:15 p.m. My senior friends all agree• Move the “Deer Crossing” sign further down the road – 4 deer killed here this year• Low rise in village. Quaint sea-side village décor• Lighting adapted to curb light pollution


Postal Office Sounding Board CommentsNovember 17-25, 2013

• More tables at museum park• Encourage new shops to open• Update museum• How about a Subway or a Tim’s • Pet shop• No higher than two stories on the harbor shoreline please, we love our sea walk!• Emergency pet care (when someone goes to the hospital)• Sort out ferry traffic parking• More jobs available• Get rid of toxic slag at the beach• Volunteers to help seniors or those with health issues (cut grass, shovel snow)• Talk to Warmland about this (additional comment added)• Skate park• Small drugstore• Bank please• Doctor office, drug store, bank• Get rid of Twin Gables• Restore sand beaches, truck in sand. Construct breakwater to retain sand• Talk with Telus about their ugly buildings• ASAP upgrade highway from the mill entrance to Chaplin Street to the ferry• More creative marketing such as kayak business, whale watching, more commerce• Banking, drugstore, police station, no cocaine and any drugs, use this old school• Reopen Crofton Museum• Tear down the Crofton Motel and build stores / condos in its place• Build a by-pass route for large vehicles to go around residential areas• Deal with the old elementary school • Clean up garbage and dog • Bring back the Sunday market!• McDonalds• Not another pub/liquor store• A new restaurant• Medical marijuana dispensing • Toy store• Slow down the traffic, it is not a racetrack• Development designs should reflect the history and culture of the community not bring in big city architecture

• Make a skateboard park for the kids, Joan Street is not safe for this stuff• Clean out the waterfront, take out Twin Gables• Get rid of slag• No old, broken down hotels. Doctor/dentist, hardware store, bank, library!• Perhaps more public celebrations (resurrect “Crofton Day”?)• Traffic calming zone coming up Osborne Bay Road near Babine. We are going to have an accident there if people don’t slow down!• Keep all the high buildings away from the front of the harbour• Remove slag, blacksand& debris from foreshore. Replace sand on beaches with clean sand. Allow a marina to be built. Expand boardwalk• Demolish Twin Gables • Remove black slag and replace with nice sand, clean up beach area generally• Enforce bylaws re: messy properties (e.g., broken-down motel unit on waterfront)• Get rid of Blue Heron as well, no good. Hotel is a mess. • Trees along the boulevards, lots more trees on the streets. All new construction to conform to a sea side look! Maybe a pool!• An aquarium with dolphins and other cool animals• Change the myth that because you live in Crofton you have to do drugs! Find something for our teenagers!• Stores open later! Skateboard park! Pet shop! Improve first part of trail to Crofton Lake (from top of Robert) and put signage on trails to lake• Expand the sea walk to the point. Have outhouses there.• No buildings over 2 or 3 stories near the waterfront! Don’t block the views!• 49th Parallel!• Develop waterfront into visitor attraction, but keep its natural features• Clean up buildings i.e., paint to make the community welcoming and more beautiful• A place for teenagers to chill that’s inside• How about a Subway restaurant• Deal with mill smoke• No high rises on the waterfront – keep them up the hill!• Traffic circles; clean up beach area; remove slag and bring in sand; more business development• Keep stores in village center, no high rises! • Mall please!• Need a hardware store• Get rid of Crofton mill and all of the stink!• Aircare the town!• Open up Shoal Island and remove spit so harbor can cleanse itself

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• Retain max 3 story limit for buildings. Keep views and esthetics in mind when approving new structures• Skatepark update• Restore beach to its natural default circa 1900 (clean it up and fix it)• The town has no theme (what is it) when a visitor drives down Joan or Chaplin they are both messy and unkempt. It looks like a ratty little town! Hire someone to clean it up!• A town center with an amphitheater• Fix road coming into Crofton• Maintenance on the boat ramp dock = charge for launching and you will get it!• No tall buildings on the waterfront• Clean up black ?• Crosswalk on Queen Street and traffic calming• Doctor’s walk-in clinic• Animal shelter• Hospital please• Starbucks• A new skate park• Fix our stinking water 5 million to Chemainus for• Our sea walk is priceless, keep it!• A speed sign same as Halalt bank (Chemainus Road) for York• Clean up motel. Put landlord in jail for charging welfare people 550 and so on for rat-infested hole• Nice place to look at as you look around our town. Just discussing• Ferry line-up needs parking• Save the green space at museum, make it a park!• Speed bumps on Queen and Chaplin for the ferry traffic at least in front of the park• Starbucks and bank and a Tim• A library and a new church• Extend sea walk / trails north and south to Chemainus• Movies theatre, get rid of skate park• Please clean up and paint Crofton Foods and other businesses• Remove old hotel at sea walk. Clean up!• YES! (additional comment)• Clean up the whole town – paint buildings in bright colours on main streets• More benches, trees and flowers on main streets, boutique shops, tidy DFO parking lot

• Do not allow illegal bare land stratas to operate in Crofton or Cowichan• Starbucks! A mall!• More trash cans and scoop bags on seawalk• Rec facility and programs (old school?)• Clean up Twin Gables• Future sea walk development with quality restaurants/ coffee shops / boutiques• Starbucks; please; I would love you forever and would be a good kid and go to school. I already do but please!!• Need drug store and doctors office• Keep the park in front of old school museum. Promote “Crofton by the Sea” – clean up the Twin Gables Motel area – not only looks bad, but now there is an open ditch it also smells bad (sewer smell)• More candy stores• Have the people clean up their property yards• Have stores decorate for Christmas etc• Skate park still needs to be updated! • Clean up old school and utilize it• Have (residents) clean their properties• More trails for hiking. Excellent bike trails wonderfully built• Curtail that smoke / mill down• Waterfront cleanup a good thing – marina / recreation area yes!

Postal Office Sounding Board CommentsNovember 25, 2013 con’t


Left:Word clouds derived from the two sound-ing boards. A word cloud is derived from a computer algo-rithm that highlights the most frequently used “descriptive” words inputted as a raw text document. The more the word was used the larger it gets.

You can see that better services, the waterfront and beach clean-up were are ideas that were echoed by many participants.

Open House Sounding Board Word Cloud

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Post Office Sounding Board Word Cloud


3.4 Open HouseParticipant’s Home Locations

We asked participants to place dots on where they lived. Most participants live within the study area. Not all participants placed dots so this is not a record of attendance but rather a geographical snapshot of where folks came from. The one green dot represents a place of work. That participant did not live in Crofton.

Open House Participant Map

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3.5 Visual Preferencing

The following are images were presented at the public open house in November of 2013.

Green dots represented what participants felt were images which would be representative of what type of built environment would be a good fit for Crofton, while red dots represents images which participants felt would not be appropriate in Crofton. Participants used yellow dots when they were not sure or had no strong opinion.

Main Street Images

What is a visual preference exercise?

A visual preference survey is a technique for obtaining public feedback on physical design alternatives. It is often used when designing zoning regulations, planning rede-velopment, and conducting planning research. The survey consists of a series of im-ages that participants must score according to their preference.

The images may be actual photographs or computer-simulated images depicting potential urban environments. The participants’ input is then used to make decisions about the future built environment.


Main Street Images

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Architectural Scale and Character



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Places for People


Places for People

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Landscaping


Housing Form and Character

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Housing Form and Character


Parking and the Car

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Documents

Crofton Community Local Area Plan - North Cowichan · 2014-01-31 · Crofton Community Local Area Plan Table of Contents: 1.0 Overview Page 1 1.1 North Cowichan Official Community