No ‘tidal wave’ of change coming to neighbourhoods

The look of Kelowna neighbourhoods won’t be altered immediately by new provincial legislation intended to allow more homes on regular-sized lots, councillors heard Monday.

Four or six new homes will be permissible on about 28,000 lots covered by revised zoning bylaws.

But people shouldn’t expect to see sweeping changes unfold immediately with a blizzard of new construction projects, top city planner Ryan Smith said. “These proposed changes won’t bring a tidal wave of changes to Kelowna neighbourhoods,” Smith said.

Smith cited the city’s own experience in recent years with changing the zoning for about 900 lots in central Kelowna that allowed for up to four new homes.

Through eight years, about 200 of those lots have been redeveloped in what’s known as the infill challenge.

And that redevelopment, Smith noted, was generally carried out in a time of lower interest rates and lower construction costs than are the case today.

Some councillors have expressed concern with the new provincial regulations, saying they trample over an area that has historically been of exclusive municipal jurisdiction. Those comments were repeated again at Monday’s meeting, along with recognition that providing more housing was a laudable goal.

“It’s a dramatic change, but the other side of the coin is we’ve been having a dramatic housing problem for many, many years,” said Coun. Luke Stack.

“It’s basically the province taking back a certain level of control over municipal planning,” Coun. Rick Webber said. “But there’s no point in voting against this. It’s gotta get done.”

Coun. Loyal Wooldridge said he didn’t share the “negative tone” of his colleagues, offering support for the province’s goal of increasing the housing supply around B.C.

But Coun. Ron Cannan likened the provincially-directed change to “planning with a sledgehammer”, taking an approach that doesn’t take into account local characteristics. He also criticized the elimination of most public hearings for many housing projects, and said the move amounted to a usurpation of the authority of mayors and councils.

Full implementation of the new bylaws necessary to comply with the provincially-mandated changes is expected to come in the spring.