Surpassing The OCP

2004 was a spectacular year for residential construction in Kelowna while the OCP anticpated 1165 units, 1946 were built, outpacing the five year average of 1200 units.

71% of all housing construction completed in the Central Okanagan Regional District has been in the City of Kelowna.

For the first time, more multi-family units (55%) are being built compared to single family units (45%).

Here are some other findings from the report, comparing the Official Community Plan objectives to what actually happened.

Residential building permits were issued for 1946 new units in 2004. In addition to these units, 109 more permits were issued for the replacement of housing destroyed by the Okanagan Mountain Park fire, bringing the actual permit total to 2055 units. These 109 units serve to replace pre-existing housing stock therefore they will not be included in any statistics referring to new housing built in 2004. Over the last five years (2000-2004) permits were issued for an average of 1200 residential units. The OCP anticipated an addition of 1165 units for 2004.

Residential development within the City of Kelowna has averaged 71% of all housing construction completed in the Regional District Central Okanagan area over the last five years. Since 2000 there has been a noticeable trend whereby the City’s share of the region’s housing development has been increasing from 65% in 2000, to 70% in 2001, to 71% in 2003 and 78% in 2004. The City’s share of development in 2002 was only slightly less representing 68% of regional housing development.

The OCP states that the City will support a gradual increase in new multiple residential development toward a 53% multiple unit / 47% single unit share by 2020 (starting with a 45% / 55% share in the Official Community Plan’s first five year period (2001-2005)). Since 1995, the average split has been a 45% multiple unit / 55% single unit share. In 2004, the split was 55% multiple unit / 45% single unit share.

The OCP states that, within Urban Centres, the City will encourage commercial, institutional and higher density forms of residential development. Since 2000, 70% of the approved commercial developments, 9% of the approved institutional developments and 48% of the approved multiple unit residential developments have occurred within these areas.

The OCP states that the City will focus future industrial development in the Highway 97 corridor, the North End and the Beaver Lake areas. Since 2000, 99% of the approved industrial developments have occurred within these areas.