More multi-family rental-only affordable housing could soon be coming to Kelowna, pending council’s final approval.
A 6.5-storey building with 46 units — 35 of which are three-bedroom apartments — is proposed at 969 Harvey Avenue, adjacent to an already-standing 64-unit apartment building. The site is owned by the Evangelical Family Rental Housing Society.
Several variations are required to be approved for the project to move ahead, the most significant of which is a proposed decrease in the minimum off-street parking from 78 stalls to 52 stalls.
“Staff are recommending support for this variance as the project is truly an affordable housing project with the guarantee of rental housing, the site’s proximity to the Ethel Street active transportation corridor and proximity to two urban centers (downtown and Capri/Landmark),” city planners wrote.
The property is subject to lower parking requirements due to its rental only designation but city staff said that reduction alone isn’t enough due to the way parking is mandated outside of urban centres.
“The rates are based on the number of bedrooms with 3-bedroom units requiring 2 stalls per dwelling unit. The applicant is proposing to vary the parking rate down to the equivalent Urban Center parking rate (1 stall per unit plus required visitor stalls).”
Unless a multi-level parkade is constructed, city staff said there is no further room on-site to expand parking.
The developer said it is anticipated that the surplus of parking at the existing building — 97 stalls — will be shared among both buildings.
Other proposed variances include the increase of the maximum site coverage to 70 per cent from the currently allowed 50 per cent and a setback variance.
Council will consider the development at its Tuesday meeting on Nov 17.
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