A proposed seniors care facility received 14 thumbs up from Salmon Arm’s mayor and council on July 4.
The seven politicians were considering a rezoning request for a new two-storey, 72-bed facility during the city’s development and planning services committee meeting.
The parcels to be rezoned from R5, high density residential, to P3, institutional, are at 100 Fifth Ave. SE and 660 Shuswap St. SE, near the Fifth Avenue Seniors Activity Centre and Shuswap Day Care Centre.
Corey Paiement, the city’s director of development services, said it’s a good location for the facility because the new zoning is consistent with surrounding land uses and with the official community plan.
It will be run by inSite Housing Hospitality and Health.
“It’s being built on fill on top of an old slough, in light of the agenda for the next item,” Mayor Marty Bootsma commented, referring to the SmartCentres application.
Coun. Ken Jamieson said he remembers that part of town as “Skunk Hollow,” but said he doesn’t think the slough has been an issue for Clover Court.
Several councillors asked about access to the facility and were told access would be by Fifth Avenue SE.
Coun. Alan Harrison expressed his support for the proposal, and asked if inSite would get a statutory or a permissive tax exemption. He was told permissive, which means council chooses whether to give an exemption. Coun. Debbie Cannon asked about secure fencing which many facilities have and the applicant said there would be a two-metre fence around two courtyards.
A public hearing for the rezoning application will take place on July 25, 7 p.m. in council chambers.