Fortune Drive rezoning back before council Tuesday; mayor suggests pushing back against BC Housing

In early February, council voted 6-3 to approve the distribution of public notices that said they would consider the rezoning application at a future meeting. They also voted 8-1 to arrange a meeting with BC Housing to ensure the proposed facility falls within council’s expectations for the space.

The proposal is not without controversy, as Kamloops council has pushed back in the past, citing a lack of consultation from BC Housing. There has also been pushback from residents and skepticism from some on council, including Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson just last month.

“I got a letter from Minister [Ravi] Kahlon trying to explain that for the Fortune Drive facility where they want to put in another drug facility (sic) that they can’t guarantee that it won’t be that,” Hamer-Jackson said during the Feb. 25 council meeting.

“I believe that we can get the province to start doing recovery focused buildings, possibly (for) low-income families, possibly seniors.”

In the letter, dated Feb. 21, Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon said while it has “come to [his] attention that council would like to consider recovery-oriented housing at this site,” it would be “premature to make program decisions at this time.”

Hamer-Jackson’s comments came after Councillor Bill Sarai made a motion to call a closed meeting on Feb. 26 under Section 90(2)(b) of the Community Charter, which deals with confidential negotiations between the municipality and the provincial or the federal government.

While Sarai didn’t disclose the topic of the meeting, it likely was with Kahlon, as the city issued a statement the following day, Feb. 27, to say it was “not interested” in a shelter or a transitional housing project on a plot of land on River Street, near the Kamloops Yacht Club.

In that statement, Councillor Katie Neustaeter, serving as deputy mayor for February, said the city had “a productive meeting” with Kahlon and told him that they “do not consider the project on River Street to be viable in its currently proposed form.”

The details about the River Street facility were first revealed to iNFOnews.ca, though BC Housing later told CFJC Today it was in early-stage conversations with the city, and that they were exploring the feasibility of the proposal.

City Should Push Back: Hamer-Jackson

Hamer-Jackson said last Tuesday that he believes the city can push back against BC Housing and its plans.

“In 2021 in Penticton, BC Housing wanted to put in another harm reduction/drug housing facility and that council fought back and they built a recovery-focused building on BC Housing’s property on Skaha Lake Road,” Hamer-Jackson said. “And I think we’ve got to start getting BC Housing to be more accountable for what they say they’re going to do.”

He also repeated his calls for a forensic audit “on all of these properties” when he was cut off by Councillor Dale Bass, who asked whether Hamer-Jackson’s comments “were speaking to the motion” put forward by Sarai.

“Yes it is,” Hamer-Jackson said. “To the letter.”

“Mayor Hamer-Jackson, there is a motion on the table regarding a closed council meeting, so do you want some discussion on what you’re proposing to council right now or are you just wanting to contribute to that discussion on the motion?” Corporate Officer Maria Mazzotta said.

“I don’t know why we’re having another closed meeting. We’ve had probably a record [number of] closed meetings since we got started on this council,” Hamer-Jackson said, after a lengthy pause before he called the vote.

“Let’s go back into closed,” the mayor added, after voting against the motion before the council meeting moved on.

Municipalities routinely hold closed meetings to discuss items considered confidential like legal, land, or human resources matters, as outlined in the Community Charter.

Council meant to discuss rezoning only not uses

In a report to council, city staff say the property in question is currently zoned R2 (Residential 2), which does not permit the development being proposed. Councillors are being asked to rezone it to RM4 (Multi-Unit 4 – Medium-High Density) with an amendment to limit the maximum density to 145 dwelling units per hectare or 54 units total, as presented.

“The Development, Engineering, and Sustainability Department supports the proposed rezoning application as the proposed use complies with KAMPLAN and the North Shore Neighbourhood Plan,” the report said. “Accordingly, staff advise council to proceed as outlined in the recommendation.”

While city council is only meant to discuss the rezoning request, much of the discussions related to the project have been around proposed uses.

“I think 80 per cent of the conversation, so far, has been about how it’s going to operate. That is where it gets mixed,” Councillor Mike O’Reilly said on Feb. 4, before he voted against moving the project forward. “What we’ve heard from the community, from the neighbours, has been nothing. I haven’t heard a question or a comment about the density. It’s all about how it’s going to operate.”

“When it comes to us sitting here, it feels backwards to me. It feels like we are put in an extremely difficult position.”

If the rezoning moves ahead on Tuesday, the city says BC Housing will still need to get a development permit before any construction can take place. But staff also cautioned about a possible denial, saying the province could override that decision.

“If it’s just simply denied, there are all sorts of different implications there,” Development, Engineering and Sustainability Director Marvin Kwiatkowski told council last month. “To be super frank, there is a good chance the province could override the council’s decision. They have that ability given that we are behind in our housing targets.”

by Victor Kaisar

Fortune Drive rezoning back before council Tuesday; mayor suggests pushing back against BC Housing

City Should Push Back: Hamer-Jackson

Council meant to discuss rezoning only not uses

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