Walkability, density a priority in draft North Shore plan

KAMLOOPS — The draft plan for the North Shore has been released. The 230-page document describes in detail the City’s plans to prioritize mixed-use development, density and transit-oriented walkability.

The City is asking residents to give their thoughts on the plan that will guide development for the city all the way from the airport to the confluence of the two rivers. The last neighbourhood plan was created in 2008. This update will provide a framework for planning the next 20 years in the area.

According to the plan, the North Shore is already one of the most densely populated areas in Kamloops, with a population of around 25,000 people, according to 2016 census numbers. The city as a whole has a population density of around 320 people per square kilometre, where the plan area’s population density is around 1800 people per square kilometre.

The plan outlines three different land uses.

Mixed use districts are walkable centers that are well-serviced by transit and include a variety of commercial and community amenities. They will contain residential apartment buildings up to six storeys tall, with ground-floor commercial uses (like The Station, which has apartment buildings over Bright Eye Brewing on the ground floor). Mixed use development will be encouraged along the Tranquille corridor, around North Shore Town Centre and Brocklehurst Centre, and on the 8th Street corridor.

Residential infill corridors are areas along key transportation routes and near mixed-use districts that are well-served by transit and the nearby amenities. The plan encourages residential infill like townhouses and apartments up to four storeys. This type of infill will be encouraged along Fortune Drive, MacKenzie Avenue, and along other key corridors on the North Shore.

“Neighbourhood sensitive infill areas” currently consist of mainly single family detached homes and could support low-density, multi-family infill, such as duplexes and townhouses. This zone would encompass the rest of the North Shore not already accounted for.

(Photo credit: City of Kamloops).

North Kamloops has a higher share of residents using active, sustainable transportation modes than the city average. The report says around 64 per cent of North Kamloops residents live a five to ten minute walk from key amenities, compared to a city-wide average of 22 per cent.

The plan would build on that base of active transportation by prioritizing walking, cycling and transit over driving single occupancy cars. The plan aims to discourage development of new surface level parking lots and encourage locating parking underground. There are also a number of design guidelines that are supposed to make it feel more appealing to walk, like making signage human-scale instead of car-scale.

There will be a virtual engagement session on June 21 at 5:30 p.m. on Zoom and an in-person engagement session on June 22 at 5:30 p.m. Residents can also complete an online survey until June 30 and email comments to letstalknorthshore@kamloops.ca. The plan is scheduled to be presented to council in September.