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After a lot of public consultation, the city of Kelowna had a vision for the future with a strong emphasis on future development in urban areas. The project planner for the Official Community Plan said it aligns with what people who got involved in the "Imagine Kelowna" process were most attracted to. "People wanted to see more vibrant urban centres," said Robert Miles.
But when the full scale of the impacts of what was being considered were highlighted at a meeting earlier this month, there was a reality check. "Some neighbourhoods that have been planned for some time wouldn't develop to their full potential," according to Miles. So Council adjusted it's expectations to a future plan with a slightly less urban focus.
Miles paid us a visit at KelownaNow to talk about the plan and what it means for the future of the city.
Despite Council's shift. Much of the plan's focus remains the same.
"The growth scenario points out that about 75 percent of new home construction would be in a multi-family format."
And that doesn't just mean high rises. Kelowna residents should expect a future with more multi-family row housing, townhouses and other options where in the past there had only been single-family homes. It could open up some welcome options for young families trying to crack into a pricey housing market.
"A big focus of the plan will be providing a variety of housing types," said Miles. "So people have more choice in what they're buying. So if you're a young family and you're entering the market and apartment, a small apartment may not work for you but a larger single-family home might be out of reach. So something in the middle there might be perfect for a family like that."
The Official Community Plan is just a direction setter. It will be up to this council and future councils to consider where these kinds of changes make the most sense.
"It's something we expect to see. Where exactly is what we're working on as the plan moves forward."
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