The Central and Watkins development is one step closer to completion as Kimberley City Council approved a minor zoning amendment.
The amendment reduced the minimum allowable distance between buildings from five metres to three to accommodate the deck spaces planned for the development’s third building.
“It was really just a text amendment to take into account that decks are actually part of the building,” said Mayor Don McCormick.
“The buildings themselves will be far enough apart, but when you add the decks, they were less than the five metres required.”
Progress is underway, with the completed project to have 42 residential dwelling units and nine commercial units spread between eight buildings.
“The first building is sold, the second is under construction and the amendment was for the third building, which is along Boundary Street,” said McCormick.
“We’re looking forward to seeing that one go up. Once it’s done, I think we’re really going to see the development look appealing to buyers and it will look like we have some real momentum going.”
The addition of over 40 apartment units will help Kimberley make some progress towards the 544 units needed over five years, as predicted by the interim Housing Needs Report.
“Housing needs cut across a wide variety of housing. There’s a tendency to focus on one or two of those types, but at the end of the day we need houses for sale, townhomes, and multi-unit residential for sale in addition to the rental side of things,” said McCormick.
“This particular development meets one of those needs and given that it’s in the downtown area, it’s going to provide a real boost for activity downtown.”
The developer will need to get final approval on their building permits before construction can officially begin, but McCormick expects that to come in the near future.
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