A group of Kelowna business owners have raised concerns about the appearance of modular housing being proposed to help the city’s homeless people.
On Friday, the province announced a multi-faceted housing strategy for Kelowna that includes 55 modular units for 1642 Commerce Avenue, a retail area just off Highway 97.
But the Mill Creek Commerce Park business owners say they only learned of the proposal through the media and that they want the project to be delayed.
“A decision is being made that will affect all surrounding businesses and none of us have been consulted or even briefed,” said Tony Gaspari, a group spokesman, in a press release.
Gaspari said the group’s opposition lies not in the type of housing itself, but in the aesthetics of the proposed buildings.
‘Almost old oil patch construction trailers’
He said the business park adopted a number of design principles and the modular housing “really violates the city’s guidelines for building permits”.
“It seems to us that they are almost old construction trailers from oil fields. They are basically stacked on top of each other to form row houses. That worries us.”
The city says it is in talks with BC Housing about how landscaping can improve the appearance of buildings. (City of Kelowna)
“We are very supportive of our province’s social housing initiatives … but maybe there is a way to give the province a development that matches the shape and character of the neighborhood,” said Gaspari.
The city denies that the proposal in its current form violates local building code regulations.
“We don’t make recommendations to the council that contradict our own rules and regulations,” said Doug Gilchrist, director of community planning and strategic investments for the City of Kelowna.
“There will be compromises”
He said housing is a “permitted use” for this zone and such projects are necessary to address the current housing crisis.
“Given the crisis in our community, given the temporary nature of the homes being built there, there is a compromise on how it looks,” he said.
The city is working with BC Housing to consider landscaping or wrapping the units to enhance the appearance, Gilchrist said.
“But there will be tradeoffs when you try to address emergency problems like these.”
The building permit for the assistive housing will be presented to the Kelowna City Council next week.
With files from CBC’s Daybreak South.
