City Council to decide on proposed student housing at Okanagan College

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On Monday, Kelowna City Council will decide the fate of a proposed student housing building for Okanagan College.

City staff recommends that council approve the application and issue the development permit for the six-storey building.

An application was submitted in mid-April proposing the new student accommodation which would be located next to the existing student residence on KLO Road.

In April, the original request included only 182 units.

The staff report indicates an increase in the number of rooms, for a new total of 216 units offered. There would be 168 micro units, four double units and 10 quad units.

City staff say the proposal is consistent with the Official Community Plan (OCP) policy of continued growth of the university campus.

Staff explain that the proposal also complies with the building height requirements of the Pandosy Urban Center, which designate the property as six storeys with residential or commercial uses on the ground floor.

<qui> Photo Credit: City of Kelowna Staff Report” src=”https://www.kelownanow.com/files/files/images/Screen%20Shot%202022-05-28%20at%2011_42_52%20AM.png” style =”margin: 5px;”/></p> <p>The original app had a strong focus on creating different gathering spaces for students, including a celebration space, an area dedicated to a talking circle, a garden with native Okanagan plants, and a place where students can barbecue. </p> <p>It also features a new plaza with sidewalks between the two residence halls, amenities for all students, and a new club room for students to mingle, study, and relax.</p> <p>The city staff report explains that all of these features meet OCP form and character guidelines.</p> <p>However, staff explain that the tall building has no setbacks, which the city tries to avoid to ensure the buildings work well with the surrounding neighborhoods and homes.</p> <p>“Certain strategies were employed to provide some articulation and reduce perceived mass, including a significant bend in the facade and a prominent rounded hump at ground level containing amenity space,” reads the report.</p> <p>Okanagan College would also receive nearly 70 new parking spaces. There would be 172 stalls shared between the existing residence and the new residence. There would also be 35 short-term and 139 long-term bike stands.</p> <p>The council is expected to make a decision on the student housing project on May 30.</p> <p><img alt= Photo Credit: City of Kelowna Staff Report” src=”https://www.kelownanow.com/files/files/images/Screen%20Shot%202022-05-28%20at%2011_50_34%20AM%20(1 ).png” style=”margin: 5px;”/>

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