Highlights of the presentation include:
- Subject property is located in the West Kelowna Estates/Rose Valley neighbourhood;
- Current Zoning is Manufactured Home Park Zone (RMP) and OCP Land Use Designation is Business Park;
- Surrounding uses include: Agricultural Zone (A1), Rural Residential Small Parcel Zone (RU2), Westbank First Nation and Light Industrial (I1);
- Proposal is to rezone to Light Industrial Zone (I1);
- Applicant's rationale includes that the City has done extensive research on creating the OCP, the project falls within an area identified to address with the OCP Industrial Objectives;
- Zoning Bylaw Amendment is consistent with OCP;
- Council has Manufactured Home Park Redevelopment Policy which applicant has followed and a proposed relocation assistance plan will be provided to Council for consideration;
- Referred to various internal and external agencies - Interior Health has no concerns with rezoning but concern with loss of affordable housing and ensuring equitable support for affected residents.
Applicant Travis Tournier, Development Manager from Kerr Properties addressed the Commission and was available for questions:
- Understand the residents displacement from homes - application is not without empathy;
- Property has been designated as Light Industrial in current and previous OCP;
- More than 4 years of public consultation for this land;
- Originally built in 1960s and infrastructure has been failing;
- Finding resources for residents;
- NDP changed legislation and increased buy outs for owners who will receive assessed value + 10% and an additional bonus;
- City growth projections need industrial land.
Jim Carpenter, owner of a unit at the subject property addressed the Commission:
- Cannot buy a mobile home in anywhere for the assessed value offered;
- Council policy implies that residents will be taken care of financially;
- Why are owners being offered assessed value instead of market value?;
- Support rezoning but residents need to be treated fairly financially;
- Remaining owners need to be treated appropriately;
- Compensation proposed is insulting to these residents;
- Question for the presenter: What would replacement value be? There are two mobile homes on realtor.ca asking 95,000 and upwards.
Question to staff: How many homes are still occupied? 10 by owners, 18 that are owned by the developer and rented out.
Applicant Travis Travis Tournier, Development Manager from Kerr Properties clarified that they are following legislation with the relocation plan and explained the three options for relocation.
Staff provided a process clarification to Commission members. Currently seeking input from council commission and then staff will have conversations with developer to include staff comments.
Highlights of the discussion include:
- The Advisory Planning Commission shows empathy with residents;
- Requirement for Industrial Property;
- Existing infrastructure on the property is failing and won't be upgraded;
- The Commissions role is regarding the rezoning of the property;
- This application is following the plan of the City - OCP designates the property for Light Industrial;
- Acceptance from residents for rezoning; Concern with future housing opportunities for these residents;
- Recommendation for developer to care about these people and help them find housing;
- The Commission recognized that Interior Health has concerns;
- Living in a mobile home park you don't own that property;
- Delaying the inevitable if there are no planned future improvements for infrastructure;
- Zoning in the plan of the City however stark contrast to affordable housing;
- Developer has done what they are supposed to in accordance with Provincial Legislation;
- The Commission appreciated the public attendance at this meeting - their presence was valued.