New craft brewery proposed alongside Kettle Valley Rail Trail in South Okanagan

PENTICTON – Cyclists using the Kettle Valley Railway trail could find themselves with a new oasis at the south end of the route.

The Trail Fruit Store and More on Naramata Road asked Penticton city council on July 16 for site-specific zoning to allow a 2,900 square foot expansion that will include a craft brewery. The property along the KVR trail makes it a potential stop for cyclists and other trail users.

The property is currently zoned as agricultural so the applicant has also requested non-farm use.

Non-farm use approval is needed as Agricultural Land Commission rules require two hectares of the property to be planted in the primary product of the beer to be produced on the property, namely barley. However, the applicant would like to keep growing the present crop on the 2.8-hectare property and devote only one hectare to barley.

City staff noted the agricultural nature of the property would be preserved.

Council unanimously agreed to send the application to a public hearing on Aug. 6. Following positive input from the community, council would then be asked to send a recommendation to the Agricultural Land Commission.

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