A neighbourhood plan for Kelowna’s North End
Type of initiative
FCM Green Municipal Fund - Plans, Studies, Pilots
Sector
Multi-sector (Plans)
Project value$536,226
Project Type
Plan
Sub Sector
Sustainable Neighbourhoods
Grant amount$175,000
Program type
GMF
Municipality
City of Kelowna, BC
Status
In Progress
Population
144,576
Project timeline
2021 -
Project number
DFC-22-0012
Description
Kelowna is located on the traditional, ancestral, unceded territory of the sylix/Okanagan people. Kelowna is the largest municipality in the Interior of BC and is nestled on the shores of Okanagan Lake. Kelowna is home to over 144,5000 residents and is one of the fastest growing cities in Canada.
Set between Okanagan Lake, Knox Mountain Park and Clement Avenue, the North End neighbourhood contains a range of distinct areas, from wartime residential housing, to long-established industrial businesses, to a young and growing Brewery District. The North End neighbourhood is 146.4 hectares in size and contains over 800 homes with over 1,500 residents, 226 active businesses with a mix of commercial and industrial operations. See Figure 1.1 of the North End Plan Background Study: https://www.kelowna.ca/documents/north-end-plan-background-study
Kelowna’s North End has played an important role in the evolution of the city since the early 1900’s. As the city has changed, so has the North End. From brick making, tobacco processing and fruit packing in its early decades, the area has transitioned to include a mix of major industrial production, small-scale businesses and residential development.
The North End is currently changing rapidly. Two significant, adjacent industrial sites are on the cusp of being redeveloped. These sites (approximately 19.6 hectares) will have a considerable impact on the immediate area and the city. There is now a window of opportunity to help set the course for the long-term evolution of this complex, vital and exciting part of the city. The neighbourhood plan will provide the missing link between the high-level planning found in the Official Community Plan (OCP) and the regulatory detail of the zoning bylaw.
Through implementation of the North End Plan (NEP), the City will work towards achieving the following OCP Pillars relating to economic, social and environmental objectives:
• Prioritize sustainable transportation and shared mobility
• Take action on climate
• Target growth along transit corridors
• Strengthen Kelowna as the region’s economic hub
• Protect and restore our environment
• Incorporate equity into city building
• Promote more housing diversity
• Prioritize sustainable transportation and shared mobility
• Take action on climate
• Target growth along transit corridors
• Strengthen Kelowna as the region’s economic hub
• Protect and restore our environment
• Incorporate equity into city building
• Promote more housing diversity
At its completion, the NEP will contain the following:
• an inventory of existing land uses, natural features, zoning, transportation networks, utility infrastructure and heritage sites;
• a statement of development objectives and policies for the area;
• information on the natural environment or hazardous conditions of the area including the manner in which natural site characteristics will influence development;
• the identification of major land uses by type and density;
• the location of transportation networks and required upgrades to accommodate public transit, pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicles, and the relationship of the proposed network to existing City facilities;
• identification of public spaces, infrastructure networks, and community amenities needed to support the evolution of this area;
• a clear vison and design concept for the extensive lands located along Okanagan Lake; and
• alignment with applicable master plans, such as the Province of British Columbia’s Energy Step Code, and Kelowna’s Area Based Water Management Plan.
• an inventory of existing land uses, natural features, zoning, transportation networks, utility infrastructure and heritage sites;
• a statement of development objectives and policies for the area;
• information on the natural environment or hazardous conditions of the area including the manner in which natural site characteristics will influence development;
• the identification of major land uses by type and density;
• the location of transportation networks and required upgrades to accommodate public transit, pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicles, and the relationship of the proposed network to existing City facilities;
• identification of public spaces, infrastructure networks, and community amenities needed to support the evolution of this area;
• a clear vison and design concept for the extensive lands located along Okanagan Lake; and
• alignment with applicable master plans, such as the Province of British Columbia’s Energy Step Code, and Kelowna’s Area Based Water Management Plan.
The North End is at the nexus of a complex challenge facing Kelowna and many other municipalities. Here, demands to stop further sprawl and to deliver more housing options compete against the need to protect employment lands in a tight industrial land market. Navigating these competing interests to a successful outcome will be an innovative first for Kelowna and will provide a useful precedent for other municipalities asking similar land use and housing questions. This plan will also provide a valuable opportunity to explore and to implement green infrastructure solutions to complex issues, such as flood protection and habitat restoration.
Applicant
City of Kelowna, BC