Popular Jewel Lake campground in a zoning showdown with regional district

A popular Boundary campground facing a battle with local government over cabins built on property recently zoned Agricultural Land Reserve is hoping guests’ memories will help them win the fight.

Jewel Lake Resort is a popular family fishing resort located on Jewel Lake near Greenwood. Co-owner Sina Steiger says the resort is going to court over a recent Regional District of Kootenay-Boundary decision that says several cabins placed on land now deemed Agricultural Land Reserve must be removed.

Steiger says her husband and another family purchased the resort four years ago. They recently built some new, 300-square foot cabins in a portion of the park that was formerly used for trailers, RVs and tenting.

Steiger says the regional district recently came out and told them they needed a permit for the cabins. They also told Steiger the cabins could be on property now in the ALR zoning, which was implemented in a 1996 bylaw, meaning they would have to be removed.

“I asked them what the difference was between non-permanent cabins (no foundation) and trailers and RVs, but they said not even trailers would be allowed,” Steiger says.

Knowing the campground had been on the property for a long time, Steiger recently reached out to clients, asking for photos taken prior to 1996 of campers holidaying in the affected portion of the campground – in camping spots 1 to 19.

Steiger says a surveyor confirmed this week the cabins are in an area zoned ALR. She says she’s not sure what her options are but believes she has enough signatures on a petition that states the campground existed before the 1996 bylaw came into effect.

She’s still looking for past photos from customers, if available.

“I don’t know if that’s going to be enough or not, but we have a court date for July 29,” Steiger says.

Anyone with a photo of Jewel Lake Campground predating 1996 can forward their photos to the Jewel Lake Facebook page.

Jewel Lake is a popular camping area located just northeast of Greenwood, B.C. | Credit: Google maps


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Steve Arstad

I have been looking for news in the South Okanagan - SImilkameen for 20 years, having turned a part time lifelong interest into a full time profession. After five years publishing a local newsletter, several years working as a correspondent / stringer for several local newspapers and seven years as editor of a Similkameen weekly newspaper, I joined iNFOnews.ca in 2014. My goal in the news industry has always been to deliver accurate and interesting articles about local people and places. My interest in the profession is life long - from my earliest memories of grade school, I have enjoyed writing.
As an airborne geophysical surveyor I travelled extensively around the globe, conducting helicopter borne mineral surveys.
I also spent several years at an Okanagan Falls based lumber mill, producing glued-wood laminated products.
As a member of the Kaleden community, I have been involved in the Kaleden Volunteer Fire Department for 22 years, and also serve as a trustee on the Kaleden Irrigation District board.
I am currently married to my wife Judy, of 26 years. We are empty-nesters who enjoy living in Kaleden with our Welsh Terrier, Angus, and cat, Tibbs.
Our two daughters, Meagan and Hayley, reside in Richmond and Victoria, respectively.

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