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Year-round shelter application before council
Public hearing January 18
City of Cranbrook council last night (Dec. 7) passed the first two readings of a zoning amendment bylaw that could allow the establishment of a 49- bed year-round overnight shelter.
The city has received an application from Terry Segarty of 2 Baker Developments to amend the city’s Zoning Bylaw. The applicant is seeking zoning changes to facilitate development of a year-round overnight shelter in a portion of the existing building on the subject property located at 209-16th Avenue North.
The proposal includes renovation to half the building where the gym is located, which is approximately 687 square metres in size. Floor plans indicate 39 beds for men and 10 beds for women, separated by a 151.6 sq.ft dining room. There are also separate washroom facilities for the women and men.
The applicant is requesting to add “Supportive Housing” and “Supportive Services” and “Public and Social Services” as permitted and accessory use, respectively, to the Special Institutional Zone: P-4 zone and change the zoning designations of the subject properties.
The proposed shelter would be managed with an operating agreement with BC Housing. Locating the shelter adjacent to Community Connections Society is ideal as they provide all of the support services required by shelter occupants. In addition, the applicant notes that the building location is ideal and centrally located to other services such as the library, hospital, pharmacy, Western Financial Place and transit, which are all within walking distance.
“With respect to the proposal in general, the city’s new Housing Needs Report identifies a permanent year-round emergency shelter is a housing gap in Cranbrook,” noted Engineering and Development Services’ Rob Veg in a report to council.
Zoning Amendment Bylaw No. 4026, 2020 will be referred to the city’s Advisory Planning Commission for recommendation and referred to the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure for approval.
A Public Hearing will be held on Monday January 18, 2021, at 6 p.m.
Map courtesy City of Cranbrook
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