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Kelowna  

Kelowna city council gave first reading to the city's 2040 Official Community Plan

No surprises in 2040 OCP

The City of Kelowna moved one step closer to determining the direction the city will take over the next 20 years, after giving first reading to the 2040 Official Community Plan Monday.

The plan will now go to a stand-alone public hearing Oct. 26 before council can officially adopt it.

The OCP, which is a framework to guide both development and growth through the next two decades, will focus on council's stated shift toward populating Kelowna's urban cores.

"The OCP will concentrate on growing our urban centres and limiting urban sprawl, and building a community where everyone has an opportunity to thrive and no one is excluded," said planning manager Danielle Noble Brandt.

The OCP also supports the protection agriculture by limiting growth on agricultural land and "protecting their long-term viability."

OCP planner Robert Miles added the document also speaks to protection of green spaces with the inclusion of more parks and recreational space.

But housing, and the make-up and transition within current neighbourhoods is at the core of the OCP.

"Our housing needs are changing," said Miles.

"Household sizes have, and will continue to decrease. Generally, these household will require smaller housing needs.

"As a result of both affordability and shifting preferences, demand for apartments, townhouses and compact family-friendly housing options will outpace the demand for new single-detached housing."

However, he did say there are still 6,000 single family homes available for construction within the city.

There were no surprises in the OCP according to Coun. Ryan Donn.

"Having no surprises makes sense," he said.

"I think we have been very clearly talking, and voting as a council for less single-family homes and more multi-family, more services and to put more people into our urban centres."

Coun. Charlie Hodge had some concerns, chief among those building heights downtown. He voted to advance the OCP despite those concerns.

"This is a living document. There will be things that come in after the fact that are OCP amendments," added Coun. Brad Sieben.

"There are things that change, I think we have to be conscious of that.

"It does make sense to focus density and housing types into the core, but there will be pressure in five, 10, 15 years to re-evaluate and re-examine those things."

Mayor Colin Basran said, while the new OCP won't please everyone, he likes the balance it struck.

He also urged people to read to OCP.

"Probably one of the biggest things we hear at a public hearing is I don't understand how this development fits in my neighbourhood. Most times those developments are consistent with the OCP," said Basran.

"If they want to know what the future of their neighbourhood is, this is the document."

A stand-alone public hearing on the 2040 Official Community Plan is scheduled for Oct. 26.



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