TO: Mayor & Council, City of Kelowna
The Kelowna Chamber of Commerce writes today in support of the planning cycle for the North Glenmore Area Sector Plan.
In the past, the Chamber has highlighted the growing need for increased industrial land capacity around the Kelowna airport. At the same time, the Chamber has also called for increased housing for those who work in the Gateway area, UBCO, the airport, and on the industrial lands themselves, especially as those lands increase their footprint.
Now that the industrial lands are expanding, residential infrastructure has not kept pace. The North Glenmore Plan, tabling in early 2025, notes industrial lands growth in the past five years at 67% and residential growth at 7%.
Sewer and water infrastructure in the plan area is existing, and road connections are in the planning stages, all supporting Kelowna’s OCP.
The consolidated ownership within the plan area would allow the future sector planning to avoid re-allocation of City of Kelowna resources, or new taxpayer calls.
Our understanding is that the build-out would also address the doubling in campus facility square footage predicted by UBCO which is making a $425M planned investment for that increase.
We further understand this Plan carries a 40-year timeline.
Sincerely,
Maryse Harvey
President
Kelowna Chamber of Commerce