Learning from Community Perspectives to Inform Permit Guidelines in Nanaimo

Project Overview

Elkplan provided engagement planning services for the City of Nanaimo as part of the Form and Character Development Permit Guidelines project. 

Purpose

The goal of the engagement program was to gather input from Neighbourhood Associations, the public, development community, and the Advisory Committee on Accessibility and Inclusiveness to inform the development of guidelines for urban design and sustainable building practices in Nanaimo. In addition to designing the engagement program and materials, Elkplan’s role as a graphic facilitator was to capture the conversations visually, ensuring key feedback and ideas were documented and clearly communicated.

Outcomes

Through a series of workshops and sessions, Elkplan captured visual notes, to summarize discussions around community preferences and priorities. Additionally, Elkplan analyzed engagement results and summarized findings in the What We Heard Report and engagement materials, further supporting the City's documentation and outreach efforts. 

Impacts

Elkplan’s facilitation and analysis played a key role in helping the City of Nanaimo translate diverse community voices into actionable guidance. By capturing and synthesizing input from across the city, Elkplan supported the development of urban design guidelines grounded in local priorities and values. Elkplan’s comprehensive engagement reporting and analysis provided the City with clear, well-organized insights to guide decision-making and reinforce transparency. This project highlights Elkplan’s ability to design and deliver meaningful public engagement processes that result in practical, community-informed outcomes.

Graphic Recording from the Neighbourhood Association Workshop.

Live visual recording from the Public Workshop session.