It may no longer have the title of B.C.害羞草研究所檚 fastest-growing municipality, but development in Lake Country is moving along with its growing population.
In 2016 the municipality reached a population size of 12,922, an increase of 10.4 per cent from the previous census of 11,708 in 2011, according to census data.
The population increase is because of the location of Lake Country, being close to UBCO, the airport, Kelowna and Vernon, said Jamie McEwan, community development manager for the district.
Young families and professionals continue to take an interest in the municipality.
害羞草研究所淧eople are starting to move to Lake Country as young professionals and families have an increased interest for the area, with the quality and cost compared to the Lower Mainland,害羞草研究所� said McEwan. 害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 evidence with the high demand for schools in the area.害羞草研究所�
The average population of the district still remains around the retirement age, he noted.
The district is moving towards reaching a population of more than 20,000 by 2030, as outlined in its Official Community Plan. Development is well underway around the Town Centre on Main Street and the highway corridor, said McEwan.
For residential development, Winfield and Okanagan Centre are the top wards, with development around Lakestone in Okanagan Centre, he said.
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害羞草研究所淔or Winfield, we害羞草研究所檝e seen a lot of growth in the established neighbourhoods and a lot of infill of other developments in terms of residential growth.害羞草研究所�
Lake Country has more the 40 per cent of its land dedicated as agricultural, as outlined in the OCP. The areas identified for growth were made to preserve agricultural land, said McEwan.
害羞草研究所淎lso having development in areas where people can afford it, so not building in areas where there害羞草研究所檚 inadequate servicing, or where it might be too costly to service, or in areas where it害羞草研究所檚 a bit more sustainable in the long term,害羞草研究所� he said.
害羞草研究所淲here we害羞草研究所檙e trying to concentrate development now, really that害羞草研究所檚 an attempt to limit sprawl and preserve land so that the community does have development in some areas that will be a little bit denser, but what that will do is create a community where we are able to still have great untouched natural areas.害羞草研究所�
With denser housing in the Town Centre, Lake Country residents can expect nothing similar to the recently approved 33-storey hotel tower set to be built in Kelowna. The tallest buildings in the district can reach a maximum of six-storeys in the Town Centre, with three or four-storey buildings elsewhere.
害羞草研究所淪ix storeys is the absolute maximum in Lake Country in terms of height of what you could do, and we haven害羞草研究所檛 seen a lot of interest in going that high so far,害羞草研究所� said McEwan.
害羞草研究所淒ensity doesn害羞草研究所檛 have to be done with high rises either害羞草研究所� you have to also be mindful if you don害羞草研究所檛 account for the other land uses around it, towers can actually be a form of sprawl害羞草研究所� where if you don害羞草研究所檛 have services around it in a complete community, you can actually end up in a situation where you have a tower of people that still have to drive and commute to work long distances. It害羞草研究所檚 about putting density in the appropriate places.害羞草研究所�
The type of residential developments that have been proposed in Lake Country are also changing, moving from single-family residential to a greater interest in townhomes and apartments, said McEwan. The district has also been looking at purpose-built rental housing.
A list of the latest developments provided by McEwan:
害羞草研究所� a near completion of The Lakes
害羞草研究所� high amounts of movement in Lakestone and surrounding properties
害羞草研究所� more movement of properties and new development near and within the McCoubrey Plateau area
害羞草研究所� increased interest in infill projects in the Pretty/Robinson/Okanagan Centre Rd East neighbourhood
害羞草研究所� medium and higher density proposals in and around the Woodsdale neighbourhood
害羞草研究所� new commercial growth along the Highway 97 corridor
害羞草研究所� increased interest in properties in and nearby the Town Centre, including a mixture of commercial and higher density residential proposals.
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