On August 17, 2021 we were alerted through the City of West Kelowna’s CityView Portal that a Development Services Application has been filed for the property adjacent to Willow Beach (the current Boat Storage). The application includes the request for a Land Use and Zoning Amendment from Mixed Use/Agriculture and Industrial (I1) to a Comprehensive Development (CD) Zone to accommodate mixed commercial and residential use up to 10 storeys. Further details can be found here.
The GBGPCA has reached out to the City and Council of West Kelowna to request further information on this request and will continue to monitor this accordingly. At this time we have been told:
- The application has not yet been reviewed by external agencies and internal departments. Application materials are likely to change following this period and leading up to 1st Reading. Once the application materials have been reviewed and revised accordingly, we will make them available.
- Due to the premature nature of this application it’s difficult to know what information may be requested or what changes may take place to the proposal before it’s ready to be presented to Council. This can take anywhere form 1-5+ months.
- The City of West Kelowna has published a “Residents Guide to the Rezoning Process” that you can review here.
A meeting of The City of West Kelowna’s Economic Development Committee was held on September 8, 2021 in which Development Services introduced this new application. The application, being referred to as “Watercolours”, was introduced by City staff as very exciting and very anticipated. The project was described in further detail noting that it would encompass three residential 10 storey buildings to support approximately 250 residential units with terrace patios, live/work spaces on the side, and commercial space along the front perimeter. An above ground parkade would be necessary due to the high water table and the City is pushing that this include additional public parking for both cars and boat trailers. The application will be undergoing various technical reviews and all aspects of this are subject to change including the height, look, footprint and more. As per the rezoning process once initial reviews are completed by the Development Services team it will be presented to Council for 1st and 2nd readings which will then open up to public comment. The degree of excitement and anticipation expressed by Development Services regarding this project is concerning given that it so clearly does not follow the guidelines set forth by the City and the citizens of West Kelowna in both the 2017 amended Official Community Plan and our most recent Community Vision. To watch the full presentation on this topic:
- Go to the City of West Kelowna’s recording library
- Select item “9.2 Development Services Update” from the lower left side of your screen
- Forward the recording to 37:00
Given this is an active application we do ask that if any of our members are alerted to additional information regarding this application that they reach out to the GBGPCA. As well, if you have any ideas, insights or expertise to offer the association to assist with responding to this rezoning request we would love to hear from you. Please reach out to us by email with any suggestions as our goal is to ensure any new development includes the infrastructure, environmental and overall cohesiveness needed to fit into our local crown jewel.
Don’t forget in an effort to grow our membership and voice we are now pleased to offer both a “Residential” and “Recreational User” category. Please encourage your neighbours, friends and frequent Gellatly Bay visitors to sign up today.
Gellatly Bay Goats Peak Community Association 