Five storeys on Front Street?

Photo: Contributed

A five-storey building is being proposed for an empty lot on Front Street.

City council will get their first look at plans for the lots on 24 Front St. at Tuesday’s regular meeting.

The official community plan will have to be amended for the area, currently a three-storey limit is placed on the height of buildings on Main Street and Front Street.

Meiklejohn Architectural Design Studio Inc are the designers behind the project requesting a development variance permit from council.

A staff report anticipates “positive impacts,” for the downtown area by turning the vacant lot, currently used for parking, into a ground-floor commercial space with four dwellings on upper floors.

“The two-storey character of the 100 block of Front Street has been retained, as the upper storeys have been set back from the street,” states a staff report to council which recommends amending the community plan to permit the lot use.

The Downtown Penticton Association reviewed the project and sent council a letter of support.

Council will look at the amendment following the 6 p.m. public hearing Tuesday.