It will be another two weeks before city staff deliver a report to council on the public hearing for the proposed draft of the Official Community Plan (OCP).

The plan acts as an overall guide in city planning, with the newest update proposed to replace the 2002 plan.

Work on the plan began in 2009 with numerous public meetings, focus groups and forums hosted on the revision prior to council passing first reading of a bylaw to adopt the new plan earlier this year.

Under city policy, a public hearing must be hosted by council prior to its vote on second reading. A report on that hearing, which includes a staff analysis of the input, follows the hearing before council votes on second reading.

Typically, the report by staff comes forward at the meeting which follows the hearing.

In this case, though, staff need more time to go through the input.

That means the report won't come forward at the coming Monday's council meeting – the first since council members took their annual summer break – as planned.

"During the public hearing process, the city received more than 40 written submissions and heard from over 30 delegates; more time is needed to thoroughly examine each issue raised,” city manager Dennis Shewfelt said in a statement Thursday afternoon.

While a number of issues were raised, it was an area of Riverdale designated in the plan for residential development, between Boswell Crescent and Firth Road that raised the ire of most residents who made presentations to council.

They argued the area should remain greenspace, as it's currently zoned for a variety of reasons ranging from groundwater quality to recreation and a number of others.

In an interview Thursday, though, planning manager Mike Gau said there's no specific issue city staff are exploring, as it takes more time to work on the report.

"It's a volume thing,” he explained, adding there were many lengthy submissions on a number of topics that have to be looked at.

"That takes some time.”

He described the delay – which will see the report now come forward on Aug. 2 – as very minor, and noted it will give staff an opportunity to look at each issue fully.

"We want to do a proper job right through the the end,” he said.

The city started its OCP review in January 2009, with more than 20 public meetings held on it.

If council moves ahead with second reading following the report, it would then go to the Yukon government for ministerial approval within 45 days before returning to council for third reading and adoption.

If that occurs, it's expected the city would have a new OCP by late September.

However, as Gau pointed out, council could also defer the matter, which could extend that time period.

Council could also vote down the plan at second reading, though that's not expected.

"This is a very detailed process and is designed to balance the needs and desires of the overall community,” Gau said in a statement.

"We'd like to thank the public for their participation in this important planning process.”