Vacant Penticton lot will become a car dealership

PENTICTON – A large, empty lot on Westminster Avenue in Penticton will be enhanced and put to use as a car dealership.

Penticton city council has approved a temporary use permit for the former Fraserview RV site at 249 Westminster Avenue West.

Fraserview RV ceased operations in 2014 and prior to that the lot had been home to a Volkswagen dealership and several other automobile oriented businesses.

In spite of the numerous historical uses for the property in automotive related activity, the site is not currently zoned for such use. The property underwent a zoning change in 2008  from service commercial to comprehensive development in order to make way for a mixed use, commercial residential development.

A pair of 12 storey residential towers were proposed but never built due to the economic downturn.

The applicant proposes some changes to the property to accommodate car sales, including removal of fencing on Westminster Avenue, installation of two landscaped areas, removal of fencing and barbed wire from most of Brunswick Avenue, a wash bay and indoor storage along with an office and showroom with guest parking in front.

The temporary use permit will be in effect for three years. Staff noted the proposed use for the property was “more desirable than a vacant lot,” an observation quickly agreed to by council, who gave unanimous approval to allow the permit.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad at sarstad@infonews.ca or call 250-488-3065. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.