Two new townhome developments in Kelowna乌鸦传媒檚 south-central area set off a debate at city council乌鸦传媒檚 Monday meeting (Feb. 24), as residents pushed back against increasing density in established neighbourhoods.
Both projects, proposed for Stillingfleet Road (2236-2248), between Springfield and Guisachan roads, would see nine townhomes built on each lot. Council received several letters opposing the developments, with two specifically addressing concerns about 2236 Stillingfleet Rd.
Councillor Maxine DeHart referred to one letter that asked how many councillors had experienced infill development in their neighbourhoods.
乌鸦传媒淚 live in a big infill centre,乌鸦传媒� DeHart said, adding that other councillors do as well, though she didn乌鸦传媒檛 name them. 乌鸦传媒淧eople think we乌鸦传媒檙e not sensitive. We live in these neighbourhoods too. We are taxpayers, just like you, and we乌鸦传媒檙e just trying to do the best for our community.乌鸦传媒�
Coun. Ron Cannan said many residents aren乌鸦传媒檛 against change but argued that the province乌鸦传媒檚 new housing regulations allowing up to six units in infill areas are moving too fast.
乌鸦传媒淭hat乌鸦传媒檚 more than, I guess, taking their fair share of the growth,乌鸦传媒� Cannan said. 乌鸦传媒淭o be most effective, it needs to be implemented more gradually and with a little more sensitivity to the character and form of the neighbourhood.乌鸦传媒�
He opposed both developments, pointing to the need for density without destroying established communities. Coun. Rick Webber disagreed that the projects would have a detrimental impact.
乌鸦传媒淚 can乌鸦传媒檛 subscribe to the idea that the arrival of nine townhomes, or whatever, is gonna wreck the neighbourhood,乌鸦传媒� Webber said. 乌鸦传媒淚 don乌鸦传媒檛 think it乌鸦传媒檚 as bad as some of these letters are spelling out.乌鸦传媒�
Coun. Loyal Wooldridge backed the developments, stating that moderate-density housing is a necessary part of the city乌鸦传媒檚 growth.
乌鸦传媒淭ime and time again, we hear from residents that 乌鸦传媒榳e don乌鸦传媒檛 want six-storey buildings, we want townhomes乌鸦传媒櫸谘淮綌we don乌鸦传媒檛 want townhomes, we want duplexes,乌鸦传媒櫸谘淮綕 he said. 乌鸦传媒淎nd at the end of the day, we hear from many other residents that need to find a place to live here.乌鸦传媒�
He also pushed back against the idea that the city needed 乌鸦传媒渟aving乌鸦传媒� from infill.
乌鸦传媒淚 think our community is growing, it乌鸦传媒檚 changing, and with that comes challenges in some neighbourhoods,乌鸦传媒� Wooldridge said. 乌鸦传媒淚 think we do our best to mitigate that. From my perspective, this isn乌鸦传媒檛 intensive infill.乌鸦传媒�
Deputy Mayor Luke Stack said he believes many Kelowna residents support the densification of the central core of city and said that infill development is the planned path forward.
乌鸦传媒淯ntil it arrives on their street乌鸦传媒攖hen it乌鸦传媒檚 personal,乌鸦传媒� he said. 乌鸦传媒淭his is where I go outside, and this is where I walk my dog, and this is where I let my children play.乌鸦传媒�
He said that change is difficult but necessary to prevent uncontrolled urban sprawl.
乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 basically wired into our Official Community Plan. That this is the direction we need to go, otherwise we would have endless sprawl going up our mountainsides, and I know the public doesn乌鸦传媒檛 want that either.乌鸦传媒�
Stack added that developers should be consulting with residents to ensure new projects fit into existing neighbourhoods as smoothly as possible.
Council adopted rezoning applications for both developments with Cannan opposed.
