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WCEL
> Issues > Urban Growth and
Development > Smart Bylaws Guide > Part
6 > Use Site Resources Wisely > Development
Permit Areas > Kelowna
Smart Bylaws Guide – Use Site Resources Wisely – Development
Permit Areas – Kelowna
The City of Kelowna has designated all creek corridors as DPAs,
and has enshrined in the OCP the federal Fisheries' Land
Development Guidelines for the Protection of Aquatic Habitat.
While riparian set backs are clearly defined, staff encounter
problems when developers holding old subdivision approvals and
development permits seek a building permit. Five years ago, the
subdivision may have been granted with a 10 metre leave strip, and
the requirement now is 15 to 30 metres. Staff will often negotiate
an increase in the leave strip with a reduction in the size of the
parking lot, as well as restoration work on degraded watercourses.
All leave strips within a stream protection corridor are permanently
protected under one of the following mechanisms:
- dedicated as park;
- returned to the Crown in the name of the local government;
- rezoned as a protected area or reserve status;
- secured with restrictive covenants;
- registered as a statutory right-of-way; or
- identified as a building setback area.
Typically, Kelowna protects leave strips as "no
disturb" areas through dedication at subdivision and the
attachment of restrictive covenants as a development permit
condition.
Recognizing that not all portions of DPA properties are
necessarily sensitive or hazardous and not all proposed activities
are harmful or dangerous, an applicant may, as part of the
development review process, submit a development permit waiver form
(property profile) to the Planning Department. The waiver form is
circulated internally to the Environmental Division for review and
determination of whether or not an environmental development permit
is required. If the waiver is granted, conditions may be attached to
minimize encroachment or impact on the area of concern.
See the Kelowna
Environment Development
Permit Handbook and the Stream
Protection Corridor DP Guidelines.
For More Information
Mark Watt, Environment Manager City of Kelowna (250) 862-3339
local 343 mwatt@city.kelowna.bc.ca
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