Highly suitable agricultural land in Kelowna will remain in the land reserve

KELOWNA – Some prime farmland in Kelowna will not be removed from the agricultural land reserve for development purposes.

McIntosh Properties Ltd., owned by the Bennett family, applied to exclude the 10 hectare parcel adjacent to Springfield and Cooper roads.

The company was proposing a development of multi-family residential and commercial uses for the site across from the Orchard Plaza shopping centre, which it also owns.

In exchange for the exclusion, McIntosh Properties proposed relocating about 15,000 cubic yards of topsoil from the site to remediate a gravel pit owned by Day Properties.

McIntosh was also willing to provide financial support to improve the agricultural capability and/or infrastructure of six farm sites in the Okanagan.

As well, the company proposed the inclusion of 21 hectares of arable land near Vernon (Cholla Hills Farms) into the agricultural land reserve.

In its decision, the Agricultural Land Commission says the 10 hectares in Kelowna are highly suitable for agriculture uses but it also acknowledges the urban setting presents possible challenges stemming from trespassing and spray drift.

“However, the location of the Properties adjacent to a busy road also provides excellent opportunity for marketing of farm products. Furthermore the Executive Committee believes that most of the challenges to agricultural development could be overcome by fencing the site, and through sensitive management.”

Kelowna city council had endorsed the McIntosh application.