Second round of zoning amendments for housing headed to Kelowna council

City of Kelowna staff will be presenting council with the second round of zoning amendments that have been triggered by a series of provincial housing legislation.

On Feb. 5, staff presented council with the first of two reports that outline how the city will deal with infill housing projects and transit oriented development areas.

The first report summarized the required steps and procedures the city will need to consider whereas the second report will focus on the actual municipal zoning amendments to implement Bill 44 and Bill 47.

“Staff recommendations include a series of amendments to complement the provincial mandates to ensure practical and sensitive integration within the existing development framework,” says the staff report headed to council on Feb. 12.

“The changes have been organized into five categories for Council’s consideration: Suburban Areas, agricultural and rural zones, Core Area - Infill, Transit Oriented Areas / Urban Centre zones, and definitions.”

Staff recommended an approach to ensure a manageable transition for neighbourhoods, development and the city to establish Core Area and Suburban Area residential zones which will comply with the legislation.

That includes allowing up to four units per lot on the Suburban Residential zones, which are the existing RU1, RU2 RU3 AND RU5 zones. Staff say this would affect around 13,400 lots.

They are recommending a complete removal of the RU4 zone, which is the existing semi-detached and duplex housing forms.

Other amendments include allowing secondary suites and carriage houses on agricultural and rural lots greater than 10,000 square metres.

In Core Areas, the recommended changes would allow for up to six units, except in the Heritage Conservation Area, which is where only four units would be permitted.

As for the amendments to align with the transit-oriented development legislation, staff recommended up to 12 storeys if the project is within 200 metres of a transit exchange.

For buildings within 400 m, the maximum height would be six storeys.

The only exception would be for the transit exchange at Kelowna General Hospital, where buildings would be restricted to six storeys for the entire area to maintain emergency operations like the helipad.

“Proposals with three or more units will require a Staff approved Form and Character Development Permit to ensure site planning is adequately provided in relation to parking, garbage/ recycling, and landscaping in compliance with updated Official Community Plan design guidelines,” the report says.

Details about parking are expected to be hashed out during the Monday meeting, which is also when council will decide on voting for the proposed zoning bylaw amendments.