$58M transportation plan moves on
Expect to see some of the transportation projects Kelowna residents deemed most important come to fruition over the next 20 years. Also expect to pay more to cover the cost. Kelowna city council considered Monday three different options for updating the city’s 20-year transportation plan.
Council endorsed the staff recommendation to pursue its $57.8-million per year Scenario 2 in the next phase of the Transportation Master Plan. Implementing the option is expected to increase property taxes by 4% and boost fees paid by homebuilders by 6% to pay for the 20year total budget of $1.16 billion.
“Scenario 2 does the best job at maximizing benefits while keeping costs reasonable,” said the staff report presented at the meeting.
City staff said projects that could move forward under Scenario 2 include the Clement Avenue extension, a link between the Rail Trail and the Greenway, and improvements to Lakeshore and Glenmore roads.
As the plan moves forward – a draft will be circulated for public engagement later this year – there will be more detailed costing.
Coun. Charlie Hodge voted for the second scenario, but said he felt it didn’t go far enough in protecting the environment.
“We’re fiddling while Rome is burning,” he said. “We’re not going fast enough and hard enough. We’re moving at the best speed that financially we can afford to do… but I really feel we’re not doing enough.”
The most ambitious plan, Scenario 3, would have bumped annual transportation costs to $77.3 million, triggering a tax hike of 14% and a 90% rise in fees paid by developers.
On the cheaper end, Scenario 1 would have seen minimal investment with a budget of $47.9 million per year.
“Every single year council will review the budget and decide what moves forward and what doesn’t,” said Mayor Colin Basran. “I do also agree with Coun. Hodge: there is no doubt there is urgency needed. (However) when the rubber hits the road and a project moves forward that doesn’t cater to the motor vehicle, we vote those projects down.”
Coun. Brad Sieben said council should be doing more lobbying to push people into electric vehicles – especially with a projected 63% of Kelowna residents expected to continue driving through 2040.
Transportation is consistently ranked as one of the most important public issues in the city’s survey.
The staff report concluded that to help achieve the vision established by the Imagine Kelowna public engagement process, it will be necessary to increase transportation investment to more sustainable, affordable modes.
“That said, the future is uncertain, and a key part of the Imagine Kelowna vision is to remain financially sound and economically resilient,” said the report. “To balance the community’s aspirational goals with financial pragmatism, staff have carefully tailored Scenario 2 to deliver a cost-effective suite of options that will support the 2040 OCP and help achieve the Imagine Kelowna vision and TMP goals, while staying within the budget submitted through the public engagement process.”