At its upcoming meeting scheduled for April 5, Penticton City Council is set to receive a report concerning initial steps around a proposed residential development involving a 109 acre portion of the 317 acre “North Wiltse Block’.
Consisting of two parcels of land located at 850 Wiltse Blvd and 160 Crow Pl, the site has been designated for future residential development since the City’s first Official Community Plan was adopted by Council in 1982 and today represents the last large urban growth area in Penticton and a notable opportunity to address the City’s housing supply shortage.
If approved, the proposal would allow the building of approximately 686 homes, split between 183 single detached homes, 28 duplex units and 475 multifamily units. Also included in the development plan is the construction of a main collector road between Wiltse Blvd and Partridge Dr, three crescent roads, several cul-de-sacs and two rear lanes. Neighbourhood parks, a park corridor and numerous wildlife trails and walkways are also included.
Except for one multifamily site in the northeast corner and a proposed recreation park, all of the development is located west of the Fortis right-of-way with the remaining land to the east being designated for conservation and rural residential.
“The applicants are not proposing any new Official Community Plan land use designations than what currently exists but only to amend the locations of the future land use designations on the property to facilitate rezoning the land for residential development. The applicants are also applying for zoning that will change the current agricultural zoning to a mix of residential zones,” said the City’s Director of Development Services, Blake Laven.
Following the City’s Community Engagement process for OCP Amendment Procedures, steps will be taken to ensure adequate and meaningful consultation with the community is carried out prior to Council making any final decisions on the proposed development.
“We’re eager to hear from residents so that any potential impacts may be addressed as the proposal works its way through the approval process,” said Laven.
Several methods of involvement will be made available for residents to provide feedback during the community engagement period, starting April 11 through to May 8. To learn more, residents will be encouraged to visit www.shapeyourcitypenticton.ca to review information, provide feedback or attend an upcoming information session. Dates, times and locations for planned engagement events will be advertised throughout the month of April.