The Pandosy and Rutland building height maps may be changing in order to implement new provincial housing mandates.
Kelowna City Council will be asked to give first reading to a bylaw amendment to change the Official Community Plan by replacing the Pandosy and Rutland Building Height Maps.
The change comes as the city begins a series of amendments to implement the legislation regarding Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing and Transit Oriented Areas.
The bylaw amendment suggest deleting and replacing the building height maps for the two neighbourhoods.
The existing Pandosy Building Heights map allows for building up to 14 storeys in two very small areas between Lakeshore Road and Watt Road and Pandosy Street and Abbott Street (directly south of Groves Avenue).
Other than that building heights are limited to eight storeys and below.
The new proposed building heights map would still include those two small areas that could see up to 14-storeys built.
However, the new map shows the maximum building height around Okanagan College and the area across KLO Road could go up to 12 storeys.
This is likely because the Okanagan College Transit Exchange has been identified as a transit oriented hub by the province.
"These areas are defined as land within 800 metres of rapid transit stations like SkyTrain stations, and within 400 metres of major bus exchanges where passengers transfer from one route to another," said BC Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon when the legislation was tabled.
When Kelowna council began reviewing the housing legislation in February, staff recommended a height allowance of up to 12 storeys if a project is within 200 metres of a transit exchange.
For buildings within 400 m, the maximum height would be six storeys.
Buildings around the hospital transit exchange would be limited to a max height of six storeys to not impact the heliport operations at Kelowna General Hospital.
As for Rutland, the existing buildings height map see buildings in the area between Rutland Road North and Dougall Road North, and Shepherd Road to Hwy 33, limited to 12 storeys.
Other than that building heights are limited to six or four storeys.
However, that changes with the new proposed map.
Similar to the changes proposed for Pandosy, building heights would be increased.
The maximum height of 12 storeys remains in place, but the area expands significantly to include areas to the south of Hwy 33 but north of Gray Road.
It also expands to areas around the Rutland Transit Exchange, including Asher Road, McIntosh Road and Aurora Court.
Other than that expanded area, other buildings across the Rutland Urban Centre would still be limited to six and four storeys.
The matter will need support from a majority of all council members, or five votes of support.
Kelowna council will review the request during the Monday meeting, which starts at 1:30 pm.
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