Kelowna, B.C. highrise project rejected by city council
Global News
Kelowna City Council has rejected a rezoning application that would see three highrises built on Coronation Avenue. It comes after city staff recommended against the development.
Kelowna city council has rejected a rezoning application that would see three highrises built on Coronation Avenue. The decision comes after city staff recommended against the development.
The proposal by Safari Capital is to redevelop 16 properties on the south side of Coronation Avenue. Three towers would be constructed 33, 27 and 20 storeys in height, which also includes a podium used for above-ground parking. The buildings would contain condos, rental apartments, a hotel and commercial space.
City development planning staff were not supportive of the application to redevelop the properties.
“Staff recommended a negative recommendation to not move forward with further planning of the site,” said city councillor Loyal Woolridge. “Mostly because it was premature, knowing we have other decisions currently downstream right now with UBC, as well as some other high-density towers in the downtown area.”
City staff also brought forward concerns relating to the building heights and high density at the location, with an estimated 708 units proposed. Wooldridge is concerned about the high use of concrete for a podium stretching the entire city block.
“I believe that we need to see some articulation and some creativity from a development perspective to ensure that we’re considering people in how they’re using those open spaces,” Wooldridge said.
The proposal also deviates from the building height policy in Kelowna’s 2040 Official Community Plan (OCP).
“I think it will make the city neighbourhoods in that area and east of that area very uncomfortable. We’re not following our OCP at all, we’re basically changing it significantly,” said councillor Luke Stack.
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