Area residents are expressing opposition over the proposed relocation of Costco.
The proposal would see a new warehouse and gas bar built on vacant farmland, right behind the Real Canadian Superstore on Baron Rd. bordered by Leckie and Springfield roads.
This has area resident, Ron Readdy concerned the store will cause more traffic chaos in the neighbourhood.
“If you know the neighbourhood, like the people that live in this area do, there's already traffic congestion on Baron from the existing Costco and there's traffic congestion coming up Benvoulin getting across onto Dilworth Drive. So the whole area is already hurting from high congestion volumes.”
Readdy was a building inspector in Kelowna for 32 years and then worked in Management for three years, dealing directly with the City’s planning department.
He said his number one issue with the proposal is that it directly contrasts the OCP.
“There’s 1,000 residential units in the neighbourhood and the Official Community Plan, that goes up to 2030, designates the proposed Costco property for a medium and high density multifamily residential, and that's what it should be,” said Readdy.
He said allowing a box store in a predominantly residential neighbourhood will on add to congestion.
On November 5th, several hundred people attended an information meeting, hosted by the company.
Readdy was there, he said Costco representatives were not forthcoming with information about the project.
“All Costco representatives said at the information meeting, which was really sketchy as far as all they can tell us, is there will be a public hearing in the new year and we hope to be in the ground by next fall. A lot of people were getting the answers ‘we're steadying this’ and ‘we’re steadying that'.”
But they didn't have a lot of concrete information about how the development will transpire.
Costco proposes to build a 3.6 acre warehouse with 812 parking stalls and a gas bar.
According to Readdy, strata councils on Parkview and Leckie are banding together to bring a presentation of opposition to the City.