Proposed apartment twice the allowed height

Photo: Artist Rendition

A proposed adult and seniors development on Benvoulin Road is seeking to build twice the height allowed in current Kelowna zoning.

Developers of the 2175 Benvoulin property are asking the city for a variance to go nine storeys as opposed to the 4.5 storeys currently allowed within RM5 zoning.

It would be constructed utilizing Encapsulated Mass Timber.

"The variance in height will allow us to more effectively provide affordable housing by reducing the amount of land being used, and by consolidating more units into one building," Paul Schuster of Novation Architecture said in a filing to the city.

"By utilizing new construction technologies, and the ability to build taller wood-frame buildings in British Columbia, we can reduce construction costs and better achieve the affordable housing that this project seeks to provide."

The proposal, submitted to the city this week, would include townhouse-style affordable units on the first two floors for middle-age single renters, with the upper seven floors providing affordable seniors housing.

The apartment, if approved, would be built next to the Apple Valley senior's complex.