2010 FCM Sustainable Communities Awards Winner — Residential Development: Overview

City of Kelowna, British Columbia

Zoning for Housing

Influencing supply to meet the range of housing needs is a huge challenge to every municipality. To close this gap, the City of Kelowna has systematically examined and changed its zoning in recent years to allow as many housing forms and related support services as possible in all neighbourhoods. Related regulations, such as parking requirements, have similarly been reviewed and amended to reflect actual needs for certain housing types — including boarding homes, congregate housing, group living homes and supportive housing. Many of these changes were inspired by a 1998 review of the city’s zoning bylaw, but others have since been added. For example, the city has successfully partnered with BC Housing to bring supportive housing to the community, allowing Kelowna to stay current and be consistent with housing needs, as well as with provincial priorities.