Like many B.C. municipalities, West 琉璃神社 is grappling with the challenges of providing housing for residents.

At its Tuesday (Sept. 24) meeting, council was updated on the city鈥檚 draft Infill Housing Strategy by Daniel Sturgeon, a planner with Urban Systems. He explained that while public engagement showed broad support for infill housing, residents expected a need to anticipate growth in West 琉璃神社. 

鈥淭hey seem to want to see that the city is prepared in terms of infrastructure and locating amenities in neighbourhoods that will see that infill,鈥� he said.

A staff report noted that West 琉璃神社鈥檚 population has increased by 20 per cent over the last decade and is anticipated to grow an average of 1.5 per cent a year until 2050. The city will gain 12,000 new residents in the next 20 years.

Sturgeon鈥檚 presentation indicated that the Glenrosa, Westbank Centre and Lakeview Heights communities could provide the best options for infill housing. 
 
鈥淭he intent is prioritizing actions in these neighbourhoods will support your infill housing program most effectively,鈥� he told council.

Infill housing is typically ground-oriented, three storeys or less with an at-grade entrance for each unit.

Earlier this year, West 琉璃神社 received housing targets from the province - 2,266 new units to be completed by July 2029. In May this year council approved zoning bylaw changes to allow up to a maximum of four small-scale housing units on many existing single family residential lots throughout West 琉璃神社. 

In addition to single detached homes, duplexes with secondary suites and/or carriage houses can be built on those lots.

West 琉璃神社鈥檚 Housing Needs Assessment, presented to council in July 2022, stated an average of 299 dwellings per year, of various types, will need to be constructed up to 2041 for a total of 5,380 units to meet expected demand.

Staff鈥檚 report to council Tuesday noted West 琉璃神社 is projected to meet at least 16 per cent of the Central Okanagan鈥檚 housing needs by 2036. As of 2021, 72 per cent of the city鈥檚 housing supply consisted of single detached dwellings.