In a bid to encourage more density, the City of Kamloops will consider reducing the minimum number of parking spaces for multi-family housing units in core areas of town.

Council has asked staff to look reducing minimum parking requirements for downtown, the North Shore and near Thompson Rivers University.

Councillor Mike O’Reilly says he won’t be supporting that plan.

“Just a week ago, somebody complained about how many people are parked in front on their house, and they can’t bring their groceries in, or they can’t bring landscaping in and those kinds of things. And the solution was potentially looking at enforcement to make sure people move along, but if we don’t have parking for people to move along to, that’s what becomes a concern.”

Councillor Kathy Sinclair made the motion asking staff to look into the issue.

She spoke about concerns with affordability.

“When I think about the highest and best use of land, and looking at is it housing? Or is it parking? I think the answer is pretty clear. We have individuals and families living in RVs right now in our city, and that’s not okay.”

Staff will also report back on how to incentivize development of “missing middle” housing – like duplexes, fourplexes, co-ops and subsidized housing.

Several councillors assured public consultation will happen before anything is voted on at a regular council meeting.