Council has made the first steps to providing more affordable housing in Lake Country.
The District of Lake Country and Urban Matters, a community contribution company has created a non-binding agreement to work towards an affordable housing project that would see up to 200 units on Jensen and Hill Roads.
Urban Matters recently partnered with EllisDon Corporation and The Society of Hope to develop and manage the project, according to the district’s staff report which was presented during Tuesday night’s council meeting.
A zoning amendment bylaw was brought forward to council, to rezone the property on Jenson Road from rural residential to medium density multiple housing. Council agreed to give first and second reading to the proposal during Tuesday night’s council meeting.
READ MORE: Lake Country council to consider affordable housing project
“The plan for the property is to construct a 109 unit development consisting of 24 row house units and an 85 unit apartment building to house families and seniors, on the condition that the project is able to secure funding from BC Housing and the northern portion of the property is to be dedicated to the district in exchange for a like amount of district-owned land at 3151/3165 Hill Rd,” according to the report.
“The applicant plans to construct a mixed-use development at 3151/3165 Hill Rd. consisting of an apartment building with 77 affordable housing units, and approximately 10,000 sq. ft. of institutional/civic space on the ground floor that is to be dedicated to the district as part of the land exchange agreement,” reads the report.
The applicant is also intending to apply for two variances for the Jensen Road property: raise the height limit on the apartment building from four storeys to six storeys and reduce the required parking stalls for the apartment building from 122 to 70.
Coun. Bill Scarrow said he supported the affordable housing units, but was concerned with the the amount of cyclists that would be using Beaver Lake Road. He suggested adding a bike lane along the road to Main Street.
Coun. Rob Geier approved of the development’s proximetly to The NEXUS community centre, which will be build at Bottom Wood Lake Road.
District staff support the rezoning application. The developments are contingent on funding from BC Housing.
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