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Kelowna  

Kelowna council will re-examine its construction time bylaw

Construction times revisited

Just when should contractors be allowed to work on development projects within the City of Kelowna?

That question will be up for discussion around the council table in the coming year.

City council Monday unanimously endorsed a motion brought forward by Coun. Rick Webber asking staff to review construction noise restriction bylaws in other communities and options for amending local bylaws to ease the impact on local residents.

The current bylaw allows for construction between the hours of 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. seven days a week. Contractors contravening the bylaw can face a $500 fine.

In his notice of motion, Webber says some development-heavy cities allow for fewer construction hours per day and don't allow construction on Sunday.

In response, the Central Okanagan chapter of the Canadian Home Builders' Association said any changes to the current bylaw would make housing ever more unaffordable at a time when the city and country are facing a housing crisis.

Since suggesting the motion, Webber says it's been learned the city's population is expected to skyrocket in the next 20 years and news provincial regulations will allow for thousands of Kelowna properties to go from one unit to four or six.

"It seems like infill housing within our existing neighbourhoods is here to stay - there's going to be a lot of it - and just seems like a good time to review the rules surrounding it," Webber told council.

Rules around construction times was last reviewed five to eight years ago when the city adopted its good neighbour bylaw.



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