The City of Kamloops has rolled into the planning stages of creating more housing “density” to fill the so-called “missing middle.”

With a focus on the North Shore first, the City’s Planning and Development Manager Rob Martin explains the goal is to create affordable housing by using existing lots which have become available to help “fill in” neighbouhoods.

“So we would be looking at low-density, multi-family townhouse style, we would also be looking at three-plexes, and fourplex type of developments. Even duplex’s on narrower lots and more compact single-family lots.”

“It’s all about supply and demand. If we get more units on the market, it will hopefully help with the affordability and availability of rental units.”

While it will require a zoning regulation to allow for the higher density units on what were typically single family lots, Martin says they feel they can get this done, without major upgrades, to the existing municipal infrastructure, such as water and sewer.

“Which is why it is a very efficient use of the existing land and existing infrastructure that is in place. However, what we have been doing is checking with other cities that have already implemented these policies to see what has worked well for them and what didn’t work.”

However, he does say what they are cognizant of, though, is not fundamentally changing the character of existing neighborhoods.

“We want to make sure it works so we don’t get five or 10 years down the road when we have done a bunch of these types of fill developments and then it creates a problem for the neighborhood–either traffic or parking issues.”

The new concept is part of the North Shore Community Plan, which is expected to be finalized by City Council this week.

-With Files From Paul James