Rental project approved in industrial area

New housing may be creeping into downtown Kelowna’s industrial area, but it should be more of an island than a beachhead.

Plans for a 148-suite rental complex on the north side of Clement Avenue were advanced Monday by city council to a public hearing.

However, councillors were clear they supported staff’s position that further residential development of the industrial area would not be endorsed.

“I wouldn’t want this to be the slippery edge where all of a sudden we get a lot of interest in the industrial area for residential proposals,” said Coun. Gail Given. “I would hate to see every one of our industrial lands being redeveloped.”

Adam Cseke, a city planner said: “There should be no further bleeding of residential into the industrial area.”

The rental project is planned for the 700 block of Clement Avenue, directly east of the new RCMP detachment. It is the former location of a BC Tree Fruits’ packing house.

When that building was demolished, it was always the city’s intention to allow some new housing at the southwest corner of the property, council heard.

In the past year and a half, about 3,000 new rental units have been approved in Kelowna, half of which are still under construction.

Coun. Mohini Singh said she hoped the project, if ultimately moved through a rezoning process, would have a “wow factor” and not be fairly plain in appearance.

“Just looking for something really spectacular,” Singh said.