Westside health centre advances to next phase
A highly anticipated urgent care centre for the Westside is moving back into the spotlight after months of behind the scenes legwork.
The project is now hinged on West Kelowna council’s approval of necessary rezoning of the site––a 3.7-hectare former apple orchard at the corner of Bering and Elliot Roads near Westbank town centre.
District of West Kelowna planner Shannon Tartaglia says a rezoning application will go before council as early as next week.
“The proposal is to rezone the southern portion of the property from A1 (agricultural) to a comprehensive development zone (CD-8) that permits both agricultural and institutional uses,” said Tartaglia.
The northern portion of the property will retain its agricultural designation. “The application is scheduled for first and second readings on Nov. 24, and should council give (each) reading, the public hearing is targeted for January, 2010.”
Tartaglia explained that the comprehensive development zone was designed to balance the potential need for future expansion of the health centre with the existing agricultural value of the property.
Uses under the zone could include congregate care, day care, group home, emergency and a variety of other health services, Tartaglia said.
However, the zoning also allows agricultural uses, so farming operations are permitted, should the health centre not proceed for whatever reason, she noted.
The zoning bylaw will allow a five-storey maximum building height, explained planning manager Nancy Henderson.
A facility of up to 32,400 square metres is permitted under the proposed bylaw, Henderson added.
Interior Health says the initial health centre will be a maximum of 4,400-square-metres and two storeys high.
There will be a lower parking level. But the health agency said in the past, it may expand the building over the years to keep pace with the Westside’s growing population.
Interior Health must give some land dedications for the widening of Butt, Bering and Brown Roads, explained Tartaglia.
Traffic impacts of the health centre remain an outstanding issue. Studies are being done to determine traffic volumes and if improvements need to be made to surrounding intersections.
If zoning is adopted as expected over the next three to six months, the way will be paved for Interior Health to purchase the property from current owners, former Kelowna mayor Walter Gray and silent partners, for a reported $3.45 million.
Interior Health said it will submit its capital budget to the provincial government before the end of the year, including a request for construction of the Westside Health Centre.
The B.C. government would fund 60 per cent of the capital costs and the Central Okanagan Regional Hospital District would need to cover 40 per cent, coming from local taxpayers.
A total cost of the building was not available before press deadline.
Before any building can be constructed, Interior Health will need to work with the Agricultural Land Commission to plan a 15-metre wide vegetative buffer to run between the health centre and the northern 1.7-hectare portion of the site, which is to be active farmland.
The land commission has approved non-farming use for southern 1.62 hectares of the parcel for a health centre, only so long as Interior Health ensures the rest of the property includes some form of agricultural operation.
jluciw@kelownacapnews.com
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