A group of Kelowna business owners has banded together to delay a supportive housing project slated for their commercial area, claiming they weren’t even informed about it.
The group is asking city council to defer a decision on an application by BC Housing for a development permit at 1642 Commerce Ave.
On Dec. 1 when the provincial government announced via a news release that it would be developing 55 supportive housing units for the homeless in the Mill Creek Commerce Park (MCCP) off Enterprise Way.
“To be clear, our opposition to this development permit is based on the absence of due process and fairness,” Tony Gaspari, one of the founding developers of the MCCP, said. “A decision is being made that will impact all of the surrounding businesses, and none of us were consulted, or even informed.”
The business owners said neither the city nor BC Housing informed neighbouring stakeholders of the proposed development or the development permit application.
Some of them said they only found out about the development when approached by Global News.
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“We don’t object to the broad goals of the B.C. government’s supportive housing strategy, or to the specific proposal to develop supportive housing on the subject property,” Gaspari said. “In fact, we’re willing to work with the Province and City to develop such a project that meets the needs of all stakeholders.”
Gaspari pointed out that, in addition to the lack of consultation, MCCP business owners have significant concerns about the development as it is proposed. When the 20-acre business park was developed in 2002, with the full support of Kelowna City Council, it adopted a set of design guidelines on appropriate form and character.
The proposed supportive housing development will be constructed using refurbished former work camp construction trailers stacked to two storeys high and placed on temporary foundations.
Many of the MCCP business owners believe the building’s character lacks sensitivity to the established neighbourhood and doesn’t follow accepted neighbourhood design guidelines. The group also said it contravenes the city’s own guidelines, which state developments should be “attractive and sensitive to the established neighbourhood.”
“We respectfully request that the City delay approval of the development permit in the interests of fairness to all concerned,” Gaspari said. “This process is being rushed through without proper thought and consideration to the long-term impacts it will have on the neighbourhood and the livelihoods of the people who work and own businesses there.”
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