Policy for carriage houses to be decided at public hearing

The city’s policy for carriage houses in the Ridgedale and Kendall Crescent neighbourhood is going to public hearing on Oct. 2.

Peter Dewdney presented his and the neighbourhood’s concerns at Tuesday’s city council meeting after handing forward a signed petition from residents who hope to prevent a 2,755-square-foot, three-storey carriage house from being built at 142 Kendall Cres.

Eighty six per cent of residents – 24 of 28 households – in the Ridgedale and Kendall Crescent neighbourhood signed the petition in support of stopping the build of concern and future carriage homes.

One of the homeowners who signed the petition is Coun. Judy Sentes.

When asked in question period about whether she was in a conflict of interest, Sentes responded that she in fact “did seek counsel on that very question,” however, due to no direct financial benefit, she was not deemed to be in conflict.

When pushed on the subject further and the financial benefit Sentes could receive from a rise in property value due to preserving the neighbourhood’s “uniqueness,” Sentes only answered by stating that she suggests “that’s an opinion and I do not share that opinion.”

In his presentation to council, Dewdney argued his neighbourhood is “unique in Penticton.”

“It’s well developed, it’s well looked after — except for the property in question here,” said Dewdney, referring to 142 Kendall Cres.

Parking, privacy breaches due to “overshadowing,” and a lack of long-term residents in the neighbourhood are only several of the concerns raised.

When asked by Coun. Campbell Watt of any existing carriage homes in the area and their existing negative impact on the neighbourhood, Dewdney spoke about his concerns from personal experience as he currently lives next door to a property that built a carriage home while he was away on vacation.

“It has many of the issues associated with it such as sightlines — which we would rather avoid. It’s a very negative impact on our property,” said Dewdney.

He continued to say that while the neighbourhood isn’t against carriage homes in “particular”, there remains in the city land available to build apartment complexes to increase housing and population density. If it’s a case of affordable housing, he urged council to keep it in the downtown area due to available infrastructure to support it.

The request to ban carriage homes in the neighbourhood would require a zoning amendment, which will be the subject of the Oct. 2 public hearing.