Kelowna’s new council faced its first test on building heights Tuesday night. The decision likely won’t sit well with some in the community who made the buildings a top issue during last month’s municipal election. City council voted 8-1 to approve Mission Group’s application for a 19-story rental apartment at the north end of Bertram Street near Cawston Avenue. Only Count. Ron Cannon voted against the project. Part of his objection included five requested variances, including height, which he said were “too much for his liking.” “I think they’re pushing the envelope,” Kanan said. In terms of height, the official community plan allows building heights of 12 stories in this neighborhood with the allowance for a three-story addition contingent on a density bonus contribution to the Public Capital Reserve and Streetscape. The regulation allows a maximum of 15 stories or 56 meters. The project, as described by Mission Group executive vice president Luke Turri, is 19 stories but has the same permitted height of 56 meters. The project also has southerly variances to accommodate a third-floor bike room, undersized parking stalls, a podium setback and common space that met both previous zoning requirements. “The explanation cemented my decision,” Kuhn said. Faithful Wooldridge talks about the variations, particularly in terms of height. The issue of height, specifically a metric measurement versus floors, caught the attention of the municipality. “I agree with Coun. (Gord) Lovegrove that we need to look at the regulations and align with the actual height of the dimension instead of the storeys to limit confusion with the public,” Wooldridge added. Cannan, in opposition, said he doesn’t think many people walk up and say that’s a 46-metre building or that’s a 56-metre building. “We don’t talk in those terms,” he said. Cannan also believed that the density bonus formula is too light. The overall project calls for 157 rental units, 15% of which will be available at below-market rates over a 10-year period through a program administered by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. It also includes just 130 stalls that new Coun. Rick Webber says there are very few. That’s the regulation, he says, but added that he doesn’t like the regulation. Coun. Luke Stack, who sponsored the project, said one of the issues candidates heard during the election and that many ran for was rental and affordable housing in the right location. “This is the right location,” Stack said. “The OCP indicates that this is an area with buildings up to 56m and this is 56m.” Mayor Tom Dyas, who also supported the proposal, acknowledged that the city council and staff have some work to do in terms of floors, height and density. “The rules are the rules at this particular point in time,” Dyas said. “In terms of the density bonus, I would like to see floors 16 to 19 included in that.
