UPDATE: Penticton council has approved zoning to accommodate a 20-room luxury hotel to be built by Poplar Grove Winery.
The amended proposal will see the project developed on non-agricultural land.
ORIGINAL STORY:
WATCH BELOW: Controversial winery hotel back before Penticton council
A proposed winery hotel that has upset some neighbours in Penticton will be back before council on Tuesday.
The Poplar Grove Winery is hoping to build a high-end hotel on a neighbouring 1.3-acre property which is partly in the agricultural land reserve.
Council had previously supported a non-farm use for the land, but the agricultural land commission refused the application. It proposed a 20-unit boutique hotel that would include a spa, lounge and outdoor swimming pool.
According to the denied application, the hotel was to be developed in association with the Poplar Grove Winery as an agri-tourism operation.
The winery owners now propose building the hotel on part of the property that is not in the agricultural land reserve.
According to council documents, the southern part of the property, which is still in the agricultural land reserve, will be planted with grapes.
WATCH: (Aired Feb. 19, 2019) Online petition launched to oppose proposed Poplar Grove Winery development
In a letter to the city, the winery also said it had reduced the size of the hotel rooms and lobby, and the building would be set back 1.5 metres from the agricultural land reserve boundary.
Council documents noted that the proposal could help fill a lack of high-end hotel accommodation in the city.
City council could approve a zoning bylaw amendment to permit hotel use on part of the land.
Staff also suggested it could refer the application to the agricultural advisory committee for their recommendations before making a decision.
Alternatively, council could deny the zoning amendments if it decides the proposed development doesn’t meet the intent of the city’s official community plan.
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