City council approved three proposed developments in College Heights - which could result in a total of 1,427 new apartment, townhouse and duplex units being built in the area – to move forward to the public hearing process.
Kelowna-based Troika Management Corp. is seeking to rezone undeveloped, treed land located at 5958 Stringer Cres, 6100 O’Grady Road and 5743 Nicholas Ave. (Lots 2, 3 and 4 on the map) to allow development of more than 1,000 units of housing in the form of six-storey apartments, townhouses and duplexes, along with secondary commercial uses.
Prince George-based Bic Hayer Rental Properties Corp. is seeking to rezone a 2.85 hecatare undeveloped lot at 6700 Southridge Ave. (Lot 1 on the map). The proposed zoning would allow a multi-family development of up to 350 units on the site, to a maximum heigh of four stories.
“It’s not four just four separate parcels, it really is going to have an impact on that neighbourhood,” Coun. Trudy Klassen said.
Because of the magnitude of the developments, the city requested a report from the proponents looking at the collective impact of the developments, city director of planning and development Deanne Wasnik said. A planned timeline of the developments was not available, Wasnik said, but given that each would consist of multiple buildings and the practical limitations of construction, it could take roughly a decade to see the proposed sites fully developed.
The proposed rezonings do not impact the existing College Heights Residential Park, also located at 6100 O'Grady Rd.,Wasnik added.
Coun. Cori Ramsay said she appreciated the nearly-700-page report, prepared by L&M Engineering, which provided impact on servicing for the sites, traffic impacts and provided public input from sessions held in August 2022. However, she said, she’d find supporting the development without a neighbourhood plan challenging.
“There is all of those extras… that look at what the livability of this neighbourhood is going to look like,” Ramsay said.
On Monday night, city council approved the first and second reading of the rezoning bylaws, and directed public hearings be held in each case prior to third reading being considered. City council ignored a city staff recommendation to deny the proposed official community plan and rezoning on Nicholas Avenue.
“I think we need more information, before we outright deny this,” Coun. Susan Scott said.
Because of the collective impact of the projects, city staff will schedule all three public hearings to be held at the same meeting, likely a special meeting held specifically for that purpose, city manager Walter Babicz said.
“There is great public interest in this, obviously,” Coun. Kyle Sampson said.
“This is the easiest area to rationalize for a residential development because of the shopping centres,” Mayor Simon Yu said. “(But) we encourage the neighbours, the community in general to provide feedback. Let’s get it right.”
