Council Highlights - Sept. 28

The City revisits its Development Cost Charges (DCCs) Bylaw to account for inflation, land costs and other factors, ensuring growth contributes effectively to active transportation, parks, roads, sewers, water and other infrastructure investments for our community’s future. A consultant, working with staff on an update, gave a presentation seeking direction on key factors. View the presentation at westkelownacity.ca/webcasts. Council will consider DCCs Bylaw updates at a future meeting.

City staff received input on Council’s Grants in Aid Policy, found at westkelownacity.ca/grantsinaid, which sets out how non-profit groups that provide services to our community can request annual financial assistance from the municipality. Council reaffirmed its policy of considering small grants for non-profit groups, provided that they give detailed information on how funds are needed and account for how the aid is allocated as part of their overall budgets. For 2021 only, organizations must apply by Nov. 30, instead of Oct. 31. View the presentation at westkelownacity.ca/webcasts.

Mayor and Council invited our community to join them in commemorating National Truth and Reconciliation Day, originally Orange Shirt Day, on Sept. 30. The new federal statutory holiday is one of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to action to acknowledge the tragedies of the residential school system, to honour survivors, families and First Nation communities and to commit to working respectfully with Canada’s Indigenous Peoples to build a stronger, better and brighter future together. City offices will be closed Sept. 30; find more information at westkelownacity.ca.

The 2021 GoByBike fall campaign takes place from Sept. 27 to Oct. 10; and Westsiders can join a friendly competition with other cyclists from across BC simply by riding to errands, work or school or for exercise or fun. Register and record your trips at gobybikebc.ca to be eligible to win great prizes.

Council and senior City staff participated in the annual Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) Conference and Province of BC Minister Meetings from Sept. 6 to 17 and met virtually with:

Council and staff will continue work with all BC Ministries; remain updated on our progress in the months ahead by signing up for City news and alerts at westkelownacity.ca/subscribe.

Council received a progress report on staff’s efforts to advance their 2021 – 2022 Strategic Priorities objectives, including the top investment in infrastructure, Rose Valley Water Treatment Plant, to provide safe, clean drinking water to our community. Plant construction is proceeding well, with final design to connect the Pritchard/Sunnyside Service Area nearing completion. With the new Skatepark officially opening last week, fulfilling Council’s commitment to ensure uninterrupted service to users, site servicing and foundation work is underway for the first purpose-built City Hall/Library Building at 3731 Old Okanagan Highway. Starting in 2022, the City will look ahead to returning Mt. Boucherie Community Centre to residents and recreational users. For more information on other major capital projects such as the Shannon Lake active transportation corridor and roundabout construction, view the webcast at westkelownacity.ca/webcasts or visit westkelownacity.ca/capitalprojects.

Council confirmed that most 2022 meetings will be held on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month, with the earlier starting at 1:30 p.m. and the latter at 6 p.m., as per usual. Exceptions are April and September when the meetings will move to the first and third Tuesdays. In May, a third meeting in the month will be required May 17. Since 2022 is a municipal election year, the October and November schedules must be adjusted; and due to the holiday season a second meeting is not held the fourth Tuesday in December. To view the full schedule, visitwestkelownacity.ca/councilmeetings.

Council adopted Official Community Plan and Zoning Bylaw Amendments for 3830 Gellatly Road South, amending the land use from Single Family Residential to Low Density Multiple Family and from Large Parcel Single Detached Residential to Low Density Multiple Residential to support future townhome and duplex development. Site plans for the property have yet to be developed.

Council issued a development variance permit for 1305 and 1315 Industrial Road to reduce the minimum setback from a residential area from 150 metres to 31 metres to allow for a cannabis production facility in a permitted industrial zone within the West Kelowna Business Park. Should federal licensing be granted, allowing the production to ultimately proceed, air filtration measures would be required to nullify any odour and security fencing would be required.

Council supported a minimum setback reduction, from six metres to 4.45 metres, to increase the area on which a future home could be built, in respect of all encroaching covenants, on an oddly shaped lot at 3028 Shaleview Drive.

Council approved Multiple Family and Intensive Residential and Hillside Development Permits to allow construction of 26 townhouses, consisting of six fourplexes and two duplexes, in Tallus Ridge Phase 10. Variances were also permitted to require no loading spaces, versus the one required under zoning, and to increase the maximum building height from nine to 9.75 metres. Planned phased development in Tallus Ridge has been ongoing since prior to City incorporation in 2007.

Council give first, second and third readings to a bylaw to extend the Rose Valley Water Treatment Plant Local Area Service to 2735 Shannon Lake Road, where Council recently approved a 58 unit townhouse development. Amending the local area service bylaw will permit the 58 units to obtain water from the Lakeview-Rose Valley System and increasing the number of customers contributing to the debt servicing costs for the new water treatment plant and the future sustainability of the system.

The City's Official Community Plan (OCP) Update is underway, with in-person and online engagement sessions now open to the public. This engagement, from Sept. 28 through Oct. 11 builds on the significant, award-winning process that shaped the OurWK Community Vision in 2020. Visit ourwk.ca/ocp to provide your input virtually until Oct. 11 or to find dates and locations for various in-person sessions being held from Friday, Oct. 1 through Sunday, Oct. 3.

Council gave first, second and third readings to the 2021 Property Tax Exemption Bylaw that, if adopted at a future meeting, would grant 14 places of worship and private schools and six not-for-profit organizations full or partial exemptions from City property taxes totaling $230,135 for 2022 compared to $223,955 in 2021.