From the ground up, “respecting the topography” is a priority throughout the concept plan for 580 Commonage, a community of attainably priced homes proposed for part of the Vernon Commonage.
Under the proposal, about two-thirds of the 1,000-acre property at 580 Commonage Road would be preserved to protect it from future development, retaining the area’s natural beauty that locals have loved for decades. A substantial portion of this preserved land is also to be gifted to the public as a community park to allow hiking, mountain biking, and other recreational activities to continue.
The conservation effort is detailed in a community benefits document Kerkhoff Develop-Build has submitted to the City of Vernon, as part of an application to amend Vernon’s Official Community Plan (OCP). Once amended, home development would be a permitted use of land on the northern third of the property to provide 1,800 attainably priced homes to address Vernon’s housing crisis.
A conscious decision was made at the beginning of the project to minimize its impact on the environment, with careful consideration of sensitive areas, preservation of natural features, and the use of “light touch” home construction.
This means no large-scale excavations, but situating each structure on top of the land, surrounded by the familiar natural palette of the Commonage lands. The result would be a new community of “small footprint” homes with floorspace similar to condominiums and other more expensive multi-family housing.
“The aim is to meet the community’s desperate need for housing they can afford, says Leonard Kerkhoff, president and CEO of Kerkhoff Develop-Build. “This plan was built from the ground up with environmental protection at the forefront, and as we move into the detailed design stage, we will continue this approach.”
By prioritizing environmental preservation, and creating a network of parks and green spaces, 580 Commonage aims to foster a sustainable and livable community that benefits both residents and preservation efforts.
“The idea is certainly to preserve the Commonage with its treasured wildlife, trees and grasslands, and leave most of it alone. In fact, by preserving two-thirds of the property, we are actually doing everything we can to ensure it stays natural in perpetuity. The intent is not to damage the existing environment or change it with subdivision-style landscaping.”
Under the plan, an interconnected network of pedestrian and cycling trails and paths will connect neighbourhood clusters with the conserved area and park, offering residents and visitors a unique lifestyle in a new place to call home.
“When we first came across this land, I spent some time here envisioning what it would be like to own a small format home gently placed between the trees, with a village centre and having these incredible views. We have a unique opportunity here to offer a new generation of homeowners and families an opportunity to live in a natural, Okanagan setting. The project would provide the homes that are needed to keep people living and working in Vernon, combined with an interconnected network of trails and paths to connect the housing clusters with recreational opportunities on the Commonage.
“This will be a sustainable and livable community that benefits Vernon residents, while preserving natural habitats and integrating parkland within it. There’s nothing like it in Canada.”
- Vernon residents are invited to visit 580commonage.ca to comment on the project.
The public is also invited to an Open House to see project plans Wednesday, May 14 at the Vernon Recreation Centre Auditorium from 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Watch 580commonage.ca for details and updates.