Selkirk has begun the process of updating its Development Plan, a provincial requirement that municipalities in Manitoba must complete every five years.
Selkirk’s Development Plan sets out land use and development standards which must generally align with Provincial Land Use Policies, to guide the growth of the city over the coming years.
Plan to be updated with Selkirk specific objectives
Selkirk made the bold move of bringing planning and building permitting in-house in 2022 and has improved client relations substantially since. Erika Blackie, Urban Planner with the city, says updating the plan with a Selkirk-specific focus is an exciting opportunity.
“With planning and permitting services previously managed by a planning district, this is the first time since 1972 that we’re updating the plan ourselves. We’re taking the existing Development Plan, which served a larger region, and updating it with Selkirk specific objectives and policies,” Blackie said.
“It’s a refresh, we’re looking at what the existing plan says then tailoring it to align more with our Strategic Plan and the meaningful input that we hear from residents.”
Help Shape Selkirk’s updated Development Plan by having your say
Residents will have their say, and there are a couple of ways to accomplish that.
Visit the open house
The city will host two open houses at the Garry Theatre. The first will take place Friday, Nov. 15 from 6pm to 9pm and the second will be the following day, Saturday, Nov. 16 from noon to 3pm. Both are come-and-go events.
Holiday Alley is taking place at the same time, so it’s easy to pop in and learn more about the development plan and its role guiding land-use planning in the community.
You’ll have the opportunity to speak with the project team and share your favourite things about Selkirk or your ideas for how you’d like to see the community change.
Take the online survey
The other way you can have your say is to complete the short online survey that’s available now to December 3 through CitizenVoice. If you’re already signed up for CitizenVoice you would have received an email with an invitation to take the survey.
If you’re not signed up, missed the email or are looking to take part in a survey for the first time, head to MySelkirk.ca/DevelopmentPlanUpdate.
Paper copies are available at the Civic Offices at 200 Eaton Ave. and will be available at the open houses as well.
The survey asks questions about Selkirk’s downtown, established neighbourhoods and new neighbourhoods and how you feel they should look and evolve moving forward.
the questions are designed to get input on what is important to citizens in their neighbourhoods
Erika Blackie, Urban Planner for City of Selkirk
Blackie says the questions are designed to get input on what is important to citizens in their neighbourhoods. Are parks close by important to you? Is it important to easily and safely navigate throughout your community? Do you find it important to have small, local shops or services close to where you live?
There are also more open-ended questions, all with the goal of residents having a say in the updated development plan.
“Once the survey closes, we’ll review the input and use what we hear from the community to help shape the policies and goals that go into the updated plan,” Blackie said.
To learn more and to help shape Selkirk Development Plan Update today, visit MySelkirk.ca/DevelopmentPlanUpdate.
