Abbotsford – The McKee Neighbourhood Plan will need to be reintroduced to Abbotsford City Council due to a procedural error.
On January 30, 2023, a procedural error was made with the first and second readings of the bylaw for the McKee Neighbourhood Plan. This was discovered after the Public Hearing on March 6, 2023.
According to a staff report released Friday (March 24), the error related to a series of resolutions that was listed in the agenda packages for both the afternoon and evening meetings on Jan. 30 in relation to the McKee Neighbourhood Plan.
As a result, the specific resolutions required by the Local Government Act to be approved at the Regular Council meeting were not formally before Council when voting took place and the bylaw will need to be reintroduced again. This also means that the Public Hearing will need to be repeated in order to meet legislative requirements for adopting an amendment to the City’s Official Community Plan.
This adds to the frustration to those who attended that five hour long meeting, as there were a number of residents who were concerned about what the development would do to the area.
“As a municipal office, we are legislatively obligated and responsible for ensuring that when staff provide Council with proposed land use changes to the City’s Official Community Plan Bylaw, the process is done in a legally binding manner,” said City Manager, Peter Sparanese. “We apologize to the residents of Abbotsford for this error, recognizing that many residents have a vested interest in the future of this plan.”
City staff will be presenting a report to Council at the 3 p.m. Executive Committee of Council meeting on Monday, March 27, 2023, to address the bylaw consideration process.
Any questions regarding this matter can be directed to Aniz Alani, General Manager, Legal and Legislative Services at aalani@abbotsford.ca, and more information about the McKee Neighbourhood Plan can be found on Let’s Talk Abbotsford at www.letstalkabbotsford.ca/mckee-peak-neighbourhood-plan.
Background:
The City of Abbotsford is creating a plan for the new McKee Neighbourhood, a mountainside area known for its open space and trails. In 2018, the four stage planning process started to develop a vision for a new residential neighbourhood anchored by a neighbourhood centre, and connected with trails, parks and open spaces. The McKee Neighbourhood Plan presents an opportunity to combine homes, schools, parks, trails and environmental amenities into a neighbourhood that meets residents’ daily needs close to home.
