Why you'll have another opportunity to provide feedback on this housing project

Despite falling in line with Kelowna’s official community plan (OCP), a housing development slated for Dilworth Mountain will still go to a public hearing.

Under new provincial rules, municipal governments don’t have to take a rezoning application to a public hearing if it aligns with official community plans and is supported by city staff.

In a report to council Monday, a rezoning application for a 300-unit housing development off an extension of McCurdy Road met both of those criteria.

But citing the size of the project and the area’s environmental sensitivities, several lawmakers wanted to allow the public to have their direct say.

“It is a very large project. It is on a mountainside,” Coun. Charlie Hodge said. “People want to be a part of it, or at least be aware of it, have some input. … It behooves us to take a project of this magnitude to a public hearing and just reaffirm if the zoning is going to be that accommodating.”

But others around the table made note how it’s long been known what the land will be used for.

The project has been in the works since 2011. That year, an application was made to amend the land use to accommodate future multifamily development. Another application come through in 2016.

Mayor Colin Basran cited this as additional support for why he believed the project could bypass a public hearing.

“We’ve already had two public hearings for various iterations of this project. But knowing full well that we were going to see something here, the OCP was amended for this very reason,” he said.

“In terms of the land use itself, that has already, in my opinion, been set. But where I think the public could potentially have an opportunity for input is if there are variances, they will have an opportunity to be heard when it comes to form and character.”

Councillors Maxine DeHart, Brad Sieben, Mohini Singh and Hodge opposed the project moving ahead without a public hearing.

Because of the sensitive nature of the property, development is subject to the city’s Hillside Design Development Permit Guidelines. Several government ministries, including transport, environment, and agriculture, are involved, too.

An environmental impact assessment report was submitted as part of the application, which recommends building a wetland and Mill Creek enhancements. When asked about this, staff said the wetland could help mitigate flooding in the area and downstream.

An extension of McCurdy Road is needed to accommodate the proposed development. This will create a new connection between Dilworth Mountain and Highway 97. This, staff said, would help alleviate some traffic concerns people in the area have raised.