KELOWNA – The City of Kelowna plans to tell some local businesses they have to move.
It is cracking down on illegal industrial land uses in an area of the city meant mostly for hobby farms and single family homes.
Community planning manager Ryan Smith says the city has received complaints in the past about the type of land uses going on in the area of Appaloosa and Arab Roads.
“It is kind of a rural residential area with hobby farms. We’ve got a lot of properties in that area where RV storage is going on and some other illegal land uses which really doesn’t fit with the current character of the area,” he says.
The city’s planned crackdown on illegal land use in the area puts companies like Pitura Enterprises in a tough spot. Manager Greg Pitura says moving their established gravel hauling and excavation business is not an option.
“To find a place for our company would just be too hard in this town,” he says.
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The city previously asked homeowners in the area if they wanted have the service improvements that would allow the area to be rezoned for more industrial uses.
However, that would have been expensive for owners.
Smith says the improvements would have cost approximately $150,000-$250,000 per lot and owners would have been expected to pay that back over time.
Owners recently voted against paying for the costly improvements so now the city is planning to crack down on illegal land uses.
Those who are lucky enough to already have the needed service improvements in their area will have the option to rezone. Others not following the zoning rules will be told to move their businesses or face consequences.
“We do have an escalating process that starts with letters, then fines and then potentially court processes,” says Smith.
Pitura Enterprises has been doing business on Appaloosa Road for years and has a business licence but now may be told to move.
The city argues the company’s business license does not cover the scale of operation it is running.
Pitura Enterprises voted to pay for the pricy upgrades to allow rezoning but given the cost they understand why some of their neighbours said no.
“No one wants to pay. We wouldn’t want to pay but if that is what it takes to keep operating we’d do what it takes,” he says.
Businesses will be given a grace period to move or rezone.
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