Post by DuaneT on Feb 16, 2005 1:20:02 GMT -5
The following story was printed today in the Kelowna Daily Courier.
By Daily Courier Staff Highrises in Rutland are the next natural step in the urbanization of Kelowna, a number of city councillors agreed Monday
The topic of taller buildings for Rutland wasn't on the agenda, but Coun. Al Horning, who was born, raised and has lived in Rutland his entire life, brought it up in connection with the Hollywood Station project
The four-storey, 67-unit apartment at 110-250 Hollywood Rd. received a development permit from council after the original proposal for a 5 1/2 storey building was altered by lowering parking into the ground and eliminating halfstorey lofts. Horning wanted to know the planning department's response if a developer applied for eight to 10 storeys since the C4 urban centre commercial zone only allows four storeys
Hotels and apartment-hotels up to seven storeys are allowed, responded development services manager Andrew Bruce, noting the next item on the agenda was changes to the C4 zone. He promised a separate report on highrises
"Let's look at greater heights," urged Horning, explaining tall, slender buildings mean more green space around them and would attract people to the Rutland town centre
During the debate on C4 changes, Coun. Robert Hobson said he can't think of another community of 25,000-30,000 people with sewers and multi-family development like Rutland which doesn't have buildings higher than four storeys.
Bruce told council he has received countless inquiries from developers interested in highrises of up to 20 storeys in the Rutland and South Pandosy town centres, so “there’s a huge untapped potential there.”<br>Hobson wasn’t sure if highrises are appropriate in South Pandosy, but “Rutland is the next logical step.
“It would allow more diversity (in types of housing),” he said, or Rutland could end up with a large number of box-like buildings without green space.
The Rutland town centre also has many small pieces of property which would be difficult to develop without going up, he said. However, “we keep losing land for road rights-of-way (making properties even smaller).”<br>Some properties in the Rutland town centre have been vacant for years, noted Horning, and “businesses have a tough go because not enough people live there.”
If people are too far from the town centre to walk comfortably, he said they will get in a car and drive to Orchard Park mall instead.
The proposed changes to the C4 zone were pushed by developers, admitted Bruce. Two proposals are currently being reviewed by staff: one for the former Four Way Foods site at Highway 33 and Rutland Road, and the second for Highway 33 and Asher Road.
“Both are limited by parking, and I’m not sure if additional height would help them out,” said Bruce.
Councillors approved the C4 amendments which allow for larger developments if there is underground parking and/or if a portion of the units meet the city’s definition of affordable housing
By Daily Courier Staff Highrises in Rutland are the next natural step in the urbanization of Kelowna, a number of city councillors agreed Monday
The topic of taller buildings for Rutland wasn't on the agenda, but Coun. Al Horning, who was born, raised and has lived in Rutland his entire life, brought it up in connection with the Hollywood Station project
The four-storey, 67-unit apartment at 110-250 Hollywood Rd. received a development permit from council after the original proposal for a 5 1/2 storey building was altered by lowering parking into the ground and eliminating halfstorey lofts. Horning wanted to know the planning department's response if a developer applied for eight to 10 storeys since the C4 urban centre commercial zone only allows four storeys
Hotels and apartment-hotels up to seven storeys are allowed, responded development services manager Andrew Bruce, noting the next item on the agenda was changes to the C4 zone. He promised a separate report on highrises
"Let's look at greater heights," urged Horning, explaining tall, slender buildings mean more green space around them and would attract people to the Rutland town centre
During the debate on C4 changes, Coun. Robert Hobson said he can't think of another community of 25,000-30,000 people with sewers and multi-family development like Rutland which doesn't have buildings higher than four storeys.
Bruce told council he has received countless inquiries from developers interested in highrises of up to 20 storeys in the Rutland and South Pandosy town centres, so “there’s a huge untapped potential there.”<br>Hobson wasn’t sure if highrises are appropriate in South Pandosy, but “Rutland is the next logical step.
“It would allow more diversity (in types of housing),” he said, or Rutland could end up with a large number of box-like buildings without green space.
The Rutland town centre also has many small pieces of property which would be difficult to develop without going up, he said. However, “we keep losing land for road rights-of-way (making properties even smaller).”<br>Some properties in the Rutland town centre have been vacant for years, noted Horning, and “businesses have a tough go because not enough people live there.”
If people are too far from the town centre to walk comfortably, he said they will get in a car and drive to Orchard Park mall instead.
The proposed changes to the C4 zone were pushed by developers, admitted Bruce. Two proposals are currently being reviewed by staff: one for the former Four Way Foods site at Highway 33 and Rutland Road, and the second for Highway 33 and Asher Road.
“Both are limited by parking, and I’m not sure if additional height would help them out,” said Bruce.
Councillors approved the C4 amendments which allow for larger developments if there is underground parking and/or if a portion of the units meet the city’s definition of affordable housing