Two new developments will increase the housing density in the Black Mountain and Rutland areas of Kelowna.
Kelowna council signed off on a zoning redesignation for a piece of property off Highway 33 near Black Mountain Elementary School previously split into RU1 (Large Lot Housing) and P2 (Educational & Minor Institutional) to RM3 (Low Density Multiple Housing).
The northern portion of the property, purchased by the Ki-Lo-Na Friendship Society in 2004 currently has one family dwelling built in 1989 along with accessory building.
Those structures will be removed to accommodate multi-family townhomes and an apartment building for affordable housing managed by the non-profit society.
The existing home, built in 1989, and accessory structure will be removed to facilitate the new development.
The society is also considering a childhood education and care centre as a future addition.
The southern portion of the property extends down to Gopher Creek, designated as park space which will remain in effect to protect the environmentally sensitive steep slopes and riparian areas.
City planning staff indicated the highways department has given its intent to approve the lone access to the development from Highway 33.
Council has also endorsed a bylaw to accommodate a strata development consisting of 36 three-storey townhouse units with attached garages at the corner of Fleming and Leathead roads, rezoning the property from large lot to low density housing.
The proposal calls for five buildings—three eight-unit and two six-unit structures. Access will be off Fleming Road at the south end of the development with a private road extending down the middle of the site to provide access to the private garages.
Planning staff complemented both the exterior building design and effort to provide pedestrian connectivity across the site to connecting to the surrounding streets leading to Ben Lee Park, which is one block away.
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