Kelowna Construction - Page 247

KelownaResident · #**4921** Posted **Dec 13, 2024, 10:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jreeb

I never knew that DCCs didn't apply to micro suites! I always thought the reason they were popular was to maximize the $rent per sf. I think they will need to be careful with how they approach this though. If DCCs were to apply to micro suites then many developments may not pencil anymore. Ideally DCCs overall are reduced.

I was reading a report that came out in November that claims in Ontario the Government makes almost 4 times more than a developer on a new home and the tax burden on new housing is about 36% of the purchase price. For affordable housing, the tax/fee burden could increase to 45% of a purchase price. I'm not sure what this looks like in BC, but I am sure it is a similar story. Link to report.

Interesting point. I do think micro suites helped bring extra density for projects when we really needed the extra units (although we still do). However, perhaps they could reduce DCC's for 3-bedroom units as that's more the type of housing we need to attract couples and families. Already there is a shortage of larger units in our community. Regardless, I do love the direction this council is headed. They aren't just looking to greenlight and rubber stamp every developer's submission.

Bcasey25raptor · #**4922** Posted **Dec 13, 2024, 10:27 PM**

Anyone have any updates on the UBCO tower progress? Have they started any real work yet?

Jreeb · #**4923** Posted **Dec 14, 2024, 12:05 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by KelownaResident

Interesting point. I do think micro suites helped bring extra density for projects when we really needed the extra units (although we still do). However, perhaps they could reduce DCC's for 3-bedroom units as that's more the type of housing we need to attract couples and families. Already there is a shortage of larger units in our community. Regardless, I do love the direction this council is headed. They aren't just looking to greenlight and rubber stamp every developer's submission.

I agree, I recently moved here from the East Coast and am a fan of the municipality here. From my understanding of Kelowna DCCs, the cost does not scale with the unit size (except micro suites being exempt which I never knew) but it scales with overall site density (# units per ha). So a one-bedroom 400sf unit would have the same DCC as a 1,000sf three-bedroom unit in the same building. In theory, this provides a discount on a per sf basis for the three-bedroom unit but typically the larger the unit, the lower the yield, and a lower developer profit.

It's an interesting problem because reducing DCCs overall, likely would not change the typical unit mix in a building.

If the goal is to incentivize developers to specifically increase the number of three bedroom units, perhaps you remove DCCs on units that have more than two legal bedrooms while also adding DCCs to micro suites. Maybe a DCC discount is tied to each additional legal bedroom a unit provides. I'm sure there are tons of creative structures that can be made to incentivize larger units while still making developments proforma. Hopefully they can come up with one.

tldr; my quick thoughts are to include a DCC on micro suites, reduce the overall DCCs, then either remove DCCs for units with more than 2-bedrooms or heavily discount them. Additionally, the DCC could scale with the value of the unit (affordable condos/rentals would pay less).

If I am wrong about anything, please let me know! I'm still learning the system here, thanks.

giallo · #**4924** Posted **Dec 24, 2024, 2:42 PM**

Structural issues persist at the affordable housing building in downtown Kelowna.

• Video Link

KelownaResident · #**4925** Posted **Dec 25, 2024, 3:40 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by giallo

Structural issues persist at the affordable housing building in downtown Kelowna.

• Video Link

I wonder if they had the insight that these two projects were going to be built in such a timeframe so close to each other if it would have been better to build UBCO first or at least the foundation.

LFC · #**4926** Posted **Dec 27, 2024, 4:21 AM**

Kelownas tallest looking good on a rather dull typical winter day.

dc! · #**4927** Posted **Jan 8, 2025, 5:33 PM**

crane is coming down on the second tower of water street by the park today

Repthe250 · #**4928** Posted **Jan 10, 2025, 7:05 AM**

Does anyone know when the highway project is supposed to begin in west Kelowna?

Metro-One · #**4929** Posted **Jan 10, 2025, 7:16 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Repthe250

Does anyone know when the highway project is supposed to begin in west Kelowna?

Hah! That thing has been “in planning” since 2014 now I believe.

Then there are the “long term” interchange plans for UBC, the airport, and the Winfield area, all of which have “intermediate” non grade separated improvements for the “short term” all of which also haven’t moved in years!

Honestly, if we have to wait years for any movement on the cheap 🞵🞵🞵 “intermediate” designs, don’t expect interchanges for decades (or ever)

The NDP have full on completely ignored the Okanagan since 2017.

Repthe250 · #**4930** Posted **Jan 14, 2025, 6:58 AM**

That’s kind of what I thought. Ridiculous.

Zepfancouver · #**4931** Posted **Jan 14, 2025, 10:40 PM**

Quote posted on Jul 12, 2021, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by uzi

my friend was in Downtown and he posted a pic of fallen crane of Bertram on Bernard, it fell on few cars parked nearby.

10 minutes ago \/
From the Keremeos Review article Kelowna crane collapse memorial to go forward despite lack of provincial funds

It's still effecting me, my memorial to the victims family ' Five Souls Soaring ' https://youtu.be/zid28UJrOk4?si=yHlC7GEAPl90iCDE&t=1876

Coldrsx · #**4932** Posted **Jan 15, 2025, 2:47 AM**

YLW expansion chugging along.

valid and not in use · #**4933** Posted **Jan 18, 2025, 6:56 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

YLW expansion chugging along.

Honestly, I'm lookin' forward to how it'll look in the end, YLW needed an expansion. And I believe they're closing Shadow Ridge for more airport stuff, so that could be a possible 2nd expansion in the future?

Phrescata · #**4934** Posted **Jan 18, 2025, 5:37 PM**

From the Stats Canada thread: Kelowna CMA officially surpasses a quarter million population and is the 19th most populous CMA in Canada.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

ALL CMAs/CAs WITH A POPULATION OVER 100,000:

The Big Six:

1) - Toronto, ON - 7,106,379
2) - Montreal , QC - 4,615,154
3) - Vancouver, BC - 3,108,941
4) - Calgary, AB - 1,778,881
5) - Ottawa, ON - 1,660,269
6) - Edmonton, AB - 1,631,614

500,000 - 1,000,000

7) - Winnipeg, MB - 941,641
8) - Quebec City, QC - 900,343
9) - Hamilton, ON - 860,266
10) - Kitchener (KCW), ON - 696,417
11) - London, ON - 626,260
12) - Halifax,NS - 530,167

250,000-500,000

13) - St, Catharines/Niagara, ON - 492,480
14) - Windsor, ON - 483,566
15) - Oshawa, ON - 482,359
16) - Victoria, BC - 441,491
17) - Saskatoon, SK - 367,336
18) - Regina, SK - 282,032
19) - Kelowna, BC - 251,756

Metro-One · #**4935** Posted **Jan 20, 2025, 2:42 AM**

the growth rate has slowed though. Was the fastest growing city in Canada for a couple years, now its below the national average. I wonder what happened. Still growing fast enough though honestly. Doesn't always need to be bursting at the seams.