Kelowna Ditches Exploring Heights and Densities

The City of Kelowna won't be looking at densities and building heights for the Downtown area anytime soon.

That's following a report from City Staff to Council on Monday that said it would cost $50,000 to hire consultants to determine the best height and density for downtown.

Councillor Norm Letnick says right now, the Comprehensive Development Zone is far more important than the Downtown Plan:

"The number one thing we need to focus on is that block - Lawrence and Leon between Abbott and Water - and I will be focusing on that."

Letnick says they should stick to the existing Downtown Plan with the exception of these blocks, and if someone comes forward with a proposal, "they should just wait.  They should wait until the momentum is built in this area of town.  And that also applies to the rest of the city - if somebody has a tall building somewhere in the Mission, somewhere in other places other than those city centre areas that we've designated as city centres, they should wait."

Letnick also says they don't need to spend $50,000 on a consultant when they can just knock on doors to find out what people want to have happen - which is something he says he will do this summer.

Applause rang out in the Council chambers when the motion was turned down after split-vote.  Councillors Brian Given and Andre Blanliel were also against hiring the consultants.

Denise Wong - Astral Media Radio News (Kelowna)