City council to consider adding 112 homes in hills above Penticton

Over 100 rural homes will be built in the hills above Penticton if city council approves a new proposal at next week’s council meeting.

A proposed a 300-lot subdivision on a 51-hectare development on a property along Spiller Road was rejected last year, and the developer will be returning to council Monday, May 17, to ask if it can instead split the same land into 112 lots, according to a City of Penticton media release.

Significant amendments have been made to the original plan as a result of concerns from the public, particularly about the density, according to Audrey Tanguay, the city’s planning and licensing manager.

READ MORE: Penticton Indian Band applauds City's move to limit Spiller Road subdivision

“Through the previous application for 300 lots, the public voiced concerns that the development was too dense for the area,” Tanguay said in the release. “This could suggest that the current official community place future land use designations support more density than the community envisions for the future of this property.

"Should council direct staff to engage with the community on this proposal, we can explore if the density included in the current proposal is acceptable to the community.”

To allow for lots one half acre in size, an application has also been submitted to change the zoning from mobile home park and country residential to country cluster.

It is proposed to be a single-family neighbourhood development. The city says the applicant will also include parks and recreation zoning throughout the property.

The property is in the hills to the northeast of the city towards Naramata.

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