The City of Kamloops is now looking at options it might consider to bolster the city’s housing stock.
Among the options city council is looking at is waiving development cost charges for purpose-built rental units, or providing a 10 year tax exemption for those same buildings, which would be centered around the three existing transit hubs at TRU, the north shore and downtown — as well as a future transit hub in Valleyview.
Councillor Mike O’Reilly says council is being forced down this road by the province.
“We have our housing targets that we need to meet,” noted O’Reilly. “We are one of 10 municipalities that the province mandated what they think the minimum needs to be built, and we have to hit those targets.”
Areas identified by Kamloops city staff for densification around existing and future transit hubs/via City of Kamloops
Under the changes, the province is asking for high-rise apartments to be built up to 10 stories within 200 meters of a transit exchange, and up to 6 stories within 201 to 400 meters of an exchange.
O’Reilly suggests the densification won’t come cheap.
“This is going to have significant impacts on our sewar and water system, that ultimately the taxpayers of Kamloops are going to have to pay for,” said O’Reilly. “The Province has given a little bit of money, but nothing to the extent of what it’s going to cost.”
City staff are now preparing a report to the council’s Economic Health Select Committee on the financial impacts of off-setting development cost charges or providing a 10 year tax exemption.
The mini-hub concept being demanded by Victoria comes on top of new zoning requirements being thrust upon municipalities, which mandate more housing density in areas serviced by public transit.
“Three units on all lots zoned for single-family or duplex up to 280 m2, four units on all lots greater than 280 m2, six units on all lots greater than 280 m2 that are within 400 m of a bus stop,” states a report offered by city staff to council’s Economic Health Select Committee. “Local zoning bylaws cannot require off-street parking in these areas.”
Kamloops has been mandated by the province to create at least 4,236 units of new housing over the next 5 years.
