(ADAM PROSKIW / iNFOnews.ca)

Kelowna city council was divided on a residential development proposal in the Upper Mission neighbourhood.

Residents lining the front row of council chambers yesterday, Feb. 12, eagerly awaiting council’s decision on the Heweston Court development.

The plan proposed building 28 semi-detached and single family dwellings across from an existing residential area.

The proposal also included two separate pedestrian walkways to Kuiper’s Peak Mountain Park, close to the development zone.

The proposed area for building 28 semi-detached and single family dwellings.

Image Credit: Kelowna City Council

Blasting of the existing rock face would need to take place in order to complete the construction on the existing road as well as further access.

Councillor Ron Cannan was particularly opposed to this.

“This is like the fourth attempt to try to rezone this land. Legislation by exhaustion it feels like,” Cannon said. “I don’t support moving this forward to the rezoning because I think there’s a more environmentally sensitive proposal that could be in the cards that respects the natural beauty of the area.”

Councillor Lovegrove said he couldn’t support the proposal as he hadn’t seen enough change since the development was last brought to council.

In February 2023, the proposal was brought to a public hearing. Since then, the number of proposed units dropped from 31 to 28.

Lovegrove said the risks of radon gas leaking into existing residential homes had been raised at the public hearing one year prior, a matter that still concerned him.

“We’ve also got intrusion into an environmentally sensitive area because of that blasting and roadwork, not to mention the access road,” he said.

Cannan agreed that he would prefer to see a more environmentally sensitive plan.

"I just think there’s too many negative environmental and potential health impacts and safety concerns expressed by many of the residents that I do not support this proposal as presented for, I guess, the forth time now,” he said.

Councillor Luke Stack took a different stance stating that the proposal had “been on the books for many many years” and was just playing out what had been approved years ago.

Stack said he was pleased to see improvements to the plan after the strong public opposition it has faced previously, including the two pedestrian access points and improvements to the nearby cul de sac.

Councillor Rick Webber said he wasn’t sure how either vote would help with neighbours concerns.

“No matter what happens it seems there is going to be a lot of development up there,” Webber said. “But my idea has always been that that particular spot… isn’t the best place to start building multi-family housing.”

In the final vote, council was tied, resulting in a loss for the proposal.

Councillors Lovegrove, Cannan and Webber opposed the proposal, while councillors Stack and Maxine Dehart and Mayor Tom Dyas voted in favour.

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