Council Highlights - Feb. 9, 2021

Council Meeting

Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2021

BC Assessment Authority gives presentation

BC Assessment provided the latest assessed property values for West Kelowna as of July 1, 2020. The City of West Kelowna has 14,726 properties, which is a one per cent increase in the number of properties added to the 2021 assessment roll. Visit bcassessment.ca to learn more or ask questions about your assessment and to search assessments, view the interactive property trends map and find other information.

Rose Valley Water Treatment Plant update provided

The tender for the primary construction contract for Rose Valley Water Treatment Plant closes Feb. 18. Staff extended the date to answer bid questions. Plant construction will finish in 2022. 

City Hall Project update given

Council awarded Bird Stuart Olson Construction the construction management services contract of $988,985 for the new City Hall/Library building. Acting as a key member of the project team and as prime contractor, this method will allow for greater control of scope and costs. Council also confirmed that the skateboard park would remain in operation until a new one is transformed. Proactive steps are now underway to help with narrowing down a specific location on the City-owned lot. A portion of the site is currently within the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR). An application has been submitted to the Agricultural Land Commission (ALC) to designate a portion of the site as non-farm use to accommodate the skateboard park and/or parking. The intent is keep the skateboard park at the existing site, if possible. 

Council supports winery’s lounge and special events licences at 3930 Harding Road

Council supported lounge and special event licence applications for Crown and Thieves Winery at 3930 Harding Road, with patron access via Brown Road. The winery is asking the BC Liquor and Cannabis Regulations Branch to permit a 146-seat lounge and a 150-seat special events area, with business hours of 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.

Secondary suite proposed for property in Tallus Ridge neighbourhood

Council gave first and second readings and directed staff to schedule a public hearing for a proposed Zoning Bylaw amendment to allow a secondary suite at 2500 Tallus Heights Lane. The amendment is required because the lot is 15 square metres smaller than zoning permits.

Council permits temporary use for Glenrosa property

Council approved a two-year Temporary Use Permit to allow a home-based nano-brewery startup at 3145 Coventry Crescent. Craft beer brewing would be limited to one day per week, from 4:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. with no tastings or additional storage permitted on site.

Council supports floodplain and aquatic development permit near Green Bay area

Council supported an aquatic development permit and floodplain exemption to allow construction of a new single detached dwelling and bank restoration at 1905 Jennens Road. The permit is required because the home would be within 30 metres of McDougall Creek. The exemption is required to reduce the allowable setback from the creek. Construction will exceed the City’s flood mitigation requirements.

Water rate increases supported in keeping with plan established in 2017

Council gave first, second and third readings to a water rate bylaw amendment. Once adopted, the amendment will increase fees, as of Jan. 1, as per the four-year schedule, which received public input and Council approval in 2017. The increases support current and future needs of the Powers Creek and Rose Valley Water Service Areas (WSA) and equalize rates between the two systems. The Powers Creek WSA’s needs require an eight per cent increase, or $12.74 more per quarter per customer. The Rose Valley WSA requires an 11 per cent increase, or $17.29 more per quarter per customer. The new water rate schedule also reinstates the one per cent monthly interest on overdue accounts, which Council had waived for 2020 to provide financial relief to households that were adjusting to the COVID-19 pandemic.