New proposed updates to the Plan

Whitehorse City Council has made a number of amendments to the proposed Whitehorse 2040: Official Community Plan (OCP). The OCP is the City’s highest-level planning document, and will set the direction for Whitehorse until 2040.

These changes trigger a second public hearing scheduled for November 28th, 2022 at City Hall at 5:30 PM. The public hearing is your chance to comment on the proposed changes, and any other areas of the OCP that may impact you. You can also email your input to publicinput@whitehorse.ca. Find more information on public hearings here (link).

What are the new proposed major updates to the Plan?

Climate Action (Goal 6b, policies 6.2, 6.3, 6.5 and 6.11)

• Clearer commitments to help the City meet its greenhouse gas emission reduction targets

Chasàn Chùa / McIntyre Creek Regional Park (policy 7.9)

• Removal of the transportation corridor study through the Proposed Chasàn Chùa / McIntyre Creek Regional Park.

Housing (policies 9.4, 9.5, 9.7, 15.16.4 15.18.9 and map 5)

• New policy commitments regarding affordable housing and short-term rentals. (9.4, 9.5 and 9.7)
• Clearer policy regarding subdivision of country residential lots (15.16.4).
• Removed lands next to Tamarack as a residential area (15.18.9, map 5)

Whitehorse North Transportation Corridor (policy 11.16)

• New policy commitment proposed in support of planning and implementing upgrades to the City’s transportation corridor, linking Whistle Bend to the Downtown.

Development & Environmental Impacts (policy 12.18 and Appendix A - idea 33)

• New commitment for the City to consider environmental impacts in its asset management strategy.
• Added an “Idea for action” whereas the City would review the requirements for hard-surfacing during Zoning Bylaw update.

Quarries (policies 15.13.3, 15.13.5 and 15.13.6)

• Removed Stevens quarry as the City’s priority area for gravel extraction, including as a natural resource area reserve.
• Added policies clarifying mitigation requirements for quarries (policies 15.13.3, 15.13.5 and 15.13.6).

Building Heights (policies 15.9.7, 15.9.14, 15.12.4)

• Increased building height allowances south of Main Street from 25 metres (7-8 stories) to 30 metres (9-11 stories) (15.9.7).
• Increased building height allowances on Main Street, west of 4^th Avenue and to the escarpment from 20 metres (6-7 stories) to 30 metres (9-11 stories) (policy 15.9.14).
• Removed the maximum building height restriction of 10 m along the Riverfront and replaced with new qualitative measure, to be implemented in the Zoning Bylaw (15.12.4).

Collaborative Planning (map 5, Appendix A – idea 72)

• Updated land use designation approach for Kwanlin Dün First Nation lands to allow more flexibility in implementing the self-governing agreement. (map 5)
• Improved idea for action area regarding Ta’an Kwäch’än Council and Kwanlin Dün First Nation (Appendix A – idea 72)

What are the new proposed minor updates to the Plan?

• Grammar corrections
• Improvements to OCP structure
• Policy clarity improvements