Several West Kelowna residents living around Lower Glenrosa Road are strongly opposed to a proposed townhouse development.
The developer is looking for permission to build 44 townhomes around a heavily-treed, sloped property at 2734 and 2736 Lower Glenrosa. Residents who spoke at a public hearing on March 22 expressed concern over the loss of green space, the impact on wildlife and Knoppler Brook, as well as traffic congestion and emergency exit routes.
The public hearing continued into this week after it was discovered some residents were inadvertently not notified of the hearing. City staff recommended to council at the March hearing that it be extended to April 5. Some speakers criticized council over the mistake, with one resident asking the project be cancelled. There were several concerns voiced at both hearings over slope stabilization and how it may be affected by the development.
The proposal includes park dedication, access to Glen Canyon Regional Park, protection of Knoppler Brook and riparian areas as well as the slope area. Glenway Road resident Michael Smith told council it was the third version of the development he has seen.
“It’s gone from a bad proposal to an even worse proposal,” he said. “The OCP talks about serious concerns of building on hillsides.”
Smith also raised concerns about increased traffic in the area if the development goes through.
“Anyone who lives in that area knows Lower Glenrosa is basically a race track. There is a lot of traffic, and guess what you’re going to see at the bottom now? An exit for 44 townhouses. If we say there are 1.3 vehicles per household coming and going twice a day, that’s a really dangerous intersection waiting to be built there.”
Smith commended council for managing growth in the city but urged it to consider quality of life for residents.
“Why do we love this place? It’s because we’re not tripping over ourselves to build, and build, and build, and build.”
Other residents brought up concerns over traffic impacts, especially in the case of an evacuation due to a wildfire or flood. City staff noted there are plans to rebuild a cul de sac to improve traffic safety, as well as extend sidewalks on Lower Glenrosa Road. Staff also told council about a recent development to potentially build a gated emergency access road through the property, connecting Dunbarton Road to Lower Glenrosa Road.
Many homeowners were concerned that wildlife in the area will disappear, with one resident asking for a more in-depth species-at-risk assessment. Other concerns claimed the development does not align with the city’s OCP in preserving wildlife areas, creeks, forests, and the natural landscape.
The potential of archeological deposits on the site was raised by another resident. A staff investigation found there was a moderate to high probability it could contain unknown or unrecorded deposits. Staff will be bringing forward a recommendation that an archeological review be completed prior to any development.
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@GaryBarnes109
gary.barnes@kelownacapnews.com
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