COUNCIL SUPPORTS BID TO REMOVE WISH PROPERTY FROM LAND RESERVE
Posted on 02 March 2010 by admin
OSOYOOS TIMES-March 3, 2010
By Laurena Weninger - Osoyoos Times
The Town of Osoyoos has agreed to forward an application to the Agricultural Land Commission (ALC) with council’s blessing to have the Wish property removed from the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR).
But the decision was not unanimous.
“I hope that council will not follow through and endorse the release of this,” said Coun. Michael Ryan at the March 1 meeting of council, prior to the 3-2 vote to endorse the application.
Ryan said that agricultural land within town boundaries is becoming rare and is very important.
Mayor Stu Wells also voted against the motion to support the application.
The applicant was looking for the Town’s support to have 8.83 hectares at 4927 Main St. removed from the ALR.
The property’s owner has had two previous applications submitted to the Agricultural Land Commission and while those applications were supported by the Town of Osoyoos, they were denied by the ALC.
In 2004, the Town entered a dispute resolution process with the ALC over the property and the mediator agreed that a removal application for the property would be reconsidered after the Town completed its new Official Community Plan in 2007.
The application includes realigning 45th Street and subdividing the property into four parcels.
Land uses for the property, if the application is approved by the ALC, include commercial use, a 125-space RV park and some medium/high density residential development with an affordable housing component.
While Ryan and Wells spoke out against the application, councillors Margaret Chadsey, CJ Rhodes and Ted Cronmiller all voted for supporting it.
The matter will now proceed to the ALC for its consideration.
The property is currently owned by Kevin Demers of Holiday Trails RV Resorts, a company that owns RV resorts in B.C., Washington state and Alberta.
reporter@osoyoostimes.com
The ALR land which became part of the air port is still begging to be occupied. Had it been turned into grapes it would have been productive for several years.
If there is something wrong growing crops within the town’s boundary or just having green space in a small town in the country I fail to comprehend it.
RE THE AGRICULTURAL LANND WHERE THE AIRPORT SITS NEVER NEEDED TO BE USED FOR INDUSTRIAL PARK.THE MISTAKE WAS MADE YEARS BEFORE THE COUNCIL OF THE DAY WANTED TO SELL A PIECE OF LAND ABOVE THE MUNICIPAL YARDS FOR INDUSTRIAL PARK.I BID ON A BIGGER PIECE SO AS TO MOVE THE QUANTITIES AROUND FOR ABOUT THREE 7 ACRE PARKS ONE EVERY THREE YEARS.ALDERMAN FRASER AND FLINTOFT BOTH A COUPLE OF SELF STARTERS VOTED AGAINST ME AND THE PARCEL STILL SITS VACANT BUT SCARRED.I ALL READY HAD A TRACK RECORD IN THE ROCK FAIRWAY HILLS AND DIVIDEND RIDGE.THE PROBLEM WAS I WAS LOCAL AND ANY LOCALS ARE FORBIDDEN TO SUCCEED.THESE LANDS WERE WITHIN OUR TOWN BOUNDARIES .