There was little dissent during a public hearing into a zoning amendment for Retirement Concepts’ redesignation of a portion of the Williams Lake Seniors Village.
The company had made a request to the City that it be allowed to alter the use of some of its assisted living rooms in its Phase 3 to provide market housing.
It cited an inability to fill its housing stock due to market conditions and was seeking a way to generate revenue for the already-built housing.
The City requested the company hold a public hearing in June to gather feedback and on Tuesday night council proceeded one step closer to making the zoning amendment a reality.
The one concern expressed was around compatibility of use and whether the company has experience mixing seniors with market-use housing.
The proponent was not on hand to answer the question but City staff indicated the company did not have experience with it and could not find examples where it had been tried before.
Mayor Kerry Cook said she didn’t think Retirement Concepts would jeopardize the security or safety of its current or future clients in its assisted living facility that is the company’s primary business.
Coun. Geoff Bourdon cited the company’s reputation as a reason to allow the change to proceed.
“Based on the proponent’s reputation it makes a decision clear that we would let them go ahead with this,” he said. The third reading of the rezoning amendment bylaw was passed unanimously.