Ending land-use contracts

Photo: Contributed

Properties on Ufton Court are part of a long list of those where land-use contracts will be terminated.

If you're one of those people who like to keep up with city business by perusing the upcoming council agenda, you were probably shocked to see a 12-page agenda attached to the upcoming Monday meeting.

Included in the agenda are 29 items under the development application report heading.

However, 28 of those are simple housekeeping measures to do with the early termination of land-use contracts.

The termination of the contracts has been mandated by the province to happen by 2022.

Kelowna planning manager Ryan Smith says the city used them "quite heavily in the 1970s."

He says Kelowna is near the top when it comes to the number of these used by municipalities across B.C.

"Today, you hear the terms CD Zone or Comprehensive Development Zone. A land-use contract isn't really much different that that," said Smith in describing the term.

"It's a special layer of zoning and development control on a property."

He says the contract afforded certain special development right that may not have been reflected in the actual zoning of a particular piece of property.

"Instead of existing in the city's bylaws, it existed there, but also on the title. There would be a notice that the property was impacted by a land use contract."

Another large batch of discharges are expected later in the fall.