Landscaper won’t get Kelowna’s support to operate business on farmland

KELOWNA – A local landscape construction firm operating on agricultural land many not get the backing it hopes for in a bid to make the operation legal.

Neway Landscape and Irrigation Ltd. has operated out of its Casorso Road location since 2003 and planning staff say the company has long been in violation of the Agricultural Land Commissions rules of non-farm use.

That includes stockpiling construction and landscaping gravel and storing heavy equipment on site, planner Tracey Yuzik says in  a report to council.

Yuzik notes the soils on the property are class two which is considered prime agricultural land, relatively rare in the Okanagan.

Neway has proposed continuing the landscaping business there and is asking for 490 square metres to sell farm produce, three times the allowable area. As well, the lot does not meet area and width requirements.
The local Agricultural Advisory Committee recommended against Neway’s plan and staff have concerns about setting precedent by allowing this one.

Staff are recommending council also reject the application and not submit it to the Agricultural Land Commission for further consideration.

Council will consider the applicaiton at this afternoon's public meeting in Kelowna city hall.

To contact a reporter for this story, email John McDonald or call 250-808-0143 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.