Controversial lakeshore eight-plex narrowly approved by Penticton city council

Photo: Contributed

Rendering of 602 Lakeshore Drive.

A controversial eight-unit apartment building on Lakeshore Drive has narrowly earned a thumbs up from Penticton city council, despite last minute concerns from some.

In a 4-3 vote, council approved staff's recommendation at Tuesday's meeting that they adopt the zoning and development bylaw amendment and permit needed to give the four-storey, eight-unit project at 602 Lakeshore a green light.

The project was not well received at an hours-long public hearing in December.

Many of the nearly two dozen who attended expressed concern about the character of the proposed building, designed by developer Meiklejohn Architectural Design Studio, and about setting a precedent for changes to the historic lakeshore neighbourhood.

Since then, the developers presented an amended version of the application with the same character as the original design, but fewer requests for development variants, including addressing flooding concerns by using permeable material in the parking lot and walkways, adding bioswale landscaping and axing a planned accessory building in the back.

At Tuesday's meeting, staff and some on council acknowledged and appreciated the developers' effort in making changes after the public hearing.

"Really what it comes down to is what the intent is for the [Official Community Plan] and whether council is supporting a zoning change that's in line with the OCP, and [staff's] analysis I would argue showed that what is coming forward was aligned with what the OCP wanted to see on that lot," director of development services Blake Laven said, explaining increased density is the OCP goal for that area.

But despite that acknowledgement, Coun. Frank Regehr attempted to put forward an amendment to further limit the densification on the property, proposing a three-storey, six-unit cap. Coun. Judy. Sentes agreed.

"Despite the hours of conversation, research and deliberation, the concerns of the neighbourhood and the community at large as well remain," Sentes said.

Coun. James Miller also expressed concern with the project, and fears of setting a precedent.

Others on council agreed with city staff, and supported the rezoning.

"This is no different than any other rezoning and infill application that we've dealt with a million times before. The only difference is that this is kind of front and centre on Lakeshore Drive," Robinson said.

"This meets our own OCP that we spent so much time working on. That's a fact. It's there in black and white, and we can debate it all we want ... I believe the developers have certainly satisfied the environmental concerns that were brought up at the public hearing and they've come a long way to bring it into line."

Mayor John Vassilaki called Lakeshore a "neighbourhood in transition," and said this apartment building will be "a rose between a bunch of thorns." Coun. Julius Bloomfield also threw his support behind the project.

"I understand that we don't get 100 per cent approval rating. We don't get 100 per cent votes, there is no 100 per cent in politics. And so we have to determine what's best for the community, what has support from the community at large. And I think that this development has merit," Bloomfield said.

Ultimately, Couns. Miller, Sentes and Regehr voted against the motion, and Bloomfield, Vassilaki, Robinson and Watt voted in favour, with the motion passing 4-3.