What a difference a week --- and three fewer councillors can make.

A week ago, Kelowna Council asked staff to report back on costs and resources necessary to complete a review of the Downtown Kelowna Plan.

Monday, that review was defeated.

The Downtown Plan, originally adopted in 1999, outlines the direction of downtown development for an area bordering Abbott Street, Richter Street, Doyle Avenue and just south of Highway 97.

The plan calls for buildings no larger than 12 to 14 storeys while a more comprehensive redevelopment proposal for a four block area of the downtown core, allows for towers as high as 30 storeys.

That re-development proposal has prompted council to ask how it would mesh with a larger downtown picture.

Strategic Planning Manager, Signe Bagh, told council a review of the Downtown Plan would cost approximately $50,000 and take about nine months to complete, depending on the scope of the review.

"With new staff arriving shortly in the current planning section, it is anticipated tackling the project would not prolong existing timelines for existing development application processing," says Bagh.

"On the Policy and Research side of the Planning department, it is anticipated taking on a project of this nature could delay two projects specifically. The Ellis Street Streetscape project we estimate would be delayed about two months and the OCP review could also be delayed up to two months."

The on-going debate centres around the height of buildings in the comprehensive four block area and how the added density would affect the rest of the downtown area,

Councillor, Andre Blanleil, who missed last weeks debate, says council needs to take a leadership role when it comes to the downtown area.

"It's not a big surprise to anybody on council that has been dealing with the CD Zone about the height we have been dealing with. It's been there since day one," says Blanleil.

"I'm a little surprised now that we are seeing some stepping back from what we've decided and what we're working on. This is such a big thing for our downtown, it has struggled for years, and we finally have a plan I think the general public looks forward to seeing."

Blanleil says council needs to show leadership and let the process move forward.

"To come with a plan now to look at the rest of downtown. What is that plan going to tell us that we don't already know? The height is going to be a political decision."

He says he is not necessarily in favour of the larger buildings, but is in favour of the process playing itself out.

Councillor, Michele Rule, says she doesn't question the downtown comprehensive zone, but instead the form it will take.

"None of us knew going in what that form would take, and as we've been going through the process, some of us have had concerns and some of us haven't" says Rule.

"For me the information piece I'm missing is how the CD Zone will connect with the Downtown Plan we already have. Knowing we are not able, because of staffing, to do a full blown review, I'd like to at least see some of the information."

Rule says over the last few days she has become aware of three new projects within the downtown area that are going to be asking for height variances.

"If that CD Zone goes through and we get 30 storeys, then we'd like to get more. We haven't had that discussion. So, by setting the CD Zone the way we are without having talked about how we might change the height in the rest of downtown that's my concern."

Council was deadlocked 3-3, with councillors Day, Rule and Mayor Shepherd voting in favour and councillors Blanleil, Given and Letnick against.

Councillors Gran, Hobson and Clark were not in attendance.

A tie vote automatically defeats the motion.

A recommendation of the four block comprehensive CD Zone, which encompasses Abbott, Water, Queensway and Harvey, is expected to come before council sometime in June.