Proposal to turn empty Penticton lot property into 99-unit townhouse and apartment development

Photo: Contributed

Penticton City Council will review a proposal for a multi-family residential development at its next meeting, which will include 99 residential units in the form of townhouses and apartments along Marina Way and Vancouver Avenue.

The developer has requested a variance to a zoning bylaw in order to increase the maximum building height from 24m to 35m in the area.

The site contains five legal properties, including 206 Marina Way, 201, 203, 225 and 247 Vancouver Avenue, which will be consolidated prior to construction.

The area has long remained without any development, with prior construction projects falling through.

In 2006, 206 Marina Way proceeded through a development application process and received permits to construct a mixed-use development fronting onto Marina Way. At the time, a four-storey development, containing a main floor of commercial, with residential units above was planned for the area and work began on the development.

However, according to the staff's report to council, work stopped in 2008, leaving the lands undeveloped.

Then in 2017, a proposal was brought forward for the properties at 201, 203, 225 and 247 Vancouver Avenue, referred to as 236 Marina Way. The application at the time proposed a seven-storey, 13-unit apartment building.

Although the application received approval from Council in 2018, the development was never built out.

The current development plans originally did not originally include the property at 206 Marina Way, and only included the four Vancouver Ave lots. Design concepts at that time proposed townhouses along Marina Way and tower(s) near Marina Way

Further in the design stages, 206 Marina Way was acquired and added to the site proposal.

In the staff reports, they recommend council approve the variance permit, saying that “Although the variance request is significant, representing an increase of 11m (36 ft.) in height, staff consider the additional height reasonable in context to the overall project and quality of the submission.”

The proposed development and variance is supported through various OCP policies and has shown consideration towards the neighbours with the views of existing developments considered through the design of the proposed development, staff added.

The proposal comes from the Airey Group, which is a residential design and property development company on the West Coast.

Their project has been named, ‘Beach House’ and the team has already launched a website which can be viewed here.

Council will review and consider the application at their meeting on Tuesday, June 21.