Kelowna council has made changes to future land use designation for properties at its border with Lake Country, that will be transferred to the district.
At a public hearing on Tuesday (Jan. 21) council gave second and third readings to rezoning changes for the properties at Bottom Wood Lake and Beaver Lake roads. Westpoint Projects plans to build a major residential development, up to 640 housing units, on the site.
Infrastructure improvements include better crossings for the Okanagan Rail Trail and upgrades at the Beaver Lake and Bottom Wood Lake intersection. Several parks and open spaces are also planned.
“Hopefully, you can see the vision as it starts to take shape,” Corey Makus with Westpoint Projects explained to council. “Freeing up these lands is a tremendous way to begin to see this whole site become a village where many people can call this their home.”
To make development easier, Lake Country has created a zoning rule that matches Kelowna’s apartment housing zone. A boundary adjustment is also underway to place the properties fully under Lake Country’s jurisdiction. The adjustment involves five properties owned by a corporation and the city.
The land was once a BC Tree Fruits storage facility in the 1950s. In 2022, the Okanagan Indian Band, Kelowna, and Lake Country signed an agreement to improve infrastructure and safety in the area. The boundary adjustment for these properties is part of that agreement.
Lake Country is also holding a public hearing on the Westpoint Projects development.
