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distribution of homes and workplaces in relation to existing and planned
transportation facilities. The Official Regional Plan should also ensure
through its designations that adequate and appropriate land is earmarked for
urban and industrial development without encroaching on prime agricultural
Yand or land which is environmentally sensitive, hazardous or better suited

for some other purpose.

Recommendation 3: ALL METROPOLITAN ECONOMIC AREAS SHOULD BE COVERED BY
, OFFICIAL REGIONAL PLANS, WHICH SHOULD INCLUDE:

(a) AREA-WIDE DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVES AND A STRATEGY DESCRIBING THE DESIRED
DISTRIBUTION OF FUTURE POPULATION AND EMPLOYMENT TOGETHER WITH THE

TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS NEEDED TO SERVE THAT DISTRIBUTION;

(b) DESIGNATIONS FOR THE USE AND CAPACITY OF LAND IN BROAD CATEGORIES;

(c) LOCATIONS OF PRESENT AND FUTURE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION AND UTILITY
CORRIDORS; .

(d) APPROXIMATE LOCATIONS OF MAJOR REGIONAL COMMERCIAL CENTRES;

(e) LOCATIONS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF LAND AND WATER AREAS OF REGIONAL
AGRICULTURAL, ENVIRONMENTAL OR RECREATIONAL IMPORTANCE AND LAND AREAS ON
WHICH DEVELOPMENT SHOULD BE DISCOURAGED BECAUSE OF NATURAL HAZARDS;

(#) AN ESTIMATE OF THE FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS OF THE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY FOR _.
PUBLIC SERVICES WITHIN THE REGION; AND _

(g) SUCH OTHER PROVISIONS AS ARE NECESSARY TO GIVE EFFECT TO THE OFFICIAL
REGIONAL PLAN AS DESCRIBED ABOVE. : ;

The Official Regional Plans now in place in British Columbia's metropolitan
areas are widely agreed to be an appropriate framework for continued
intermunicipal planning. To be effective on a continuing basis, however,
these plans must be maintained and adjusted to meet ever-changing

circumstances.
WHO SHOULD DO THE JOB

The enactment and maintenance of Official Regional Plans for metropolitan
areas should be the responsibility of regional districts.

There are three main reasons for this.

First, as municipal federations, regional districts are the best forum for
bringing together the interests of local government (including the other
regional services such as hospital planning and transit). With their strong
basis in loca} government, regional board members and their local and regional
staff advisors are best equipped to maintain the delicate balance between
local autonomy and the interests of the region as a whole which is critical to

effective intermunicipal planning.
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