B.C. Tree Fruits wants property on Osoyoos Lake removed from ALR so it can be sold

The Agricultural Land Commission is looking at an application to remove 5.2 hectares of land, with frontage on Osoyoos Lake, from the land reserve.

The application was submitted by Peter Klimuk and involves property owned by B.C. Tree Fruits at 12617 – 87 St. in Osoyoos.

There’s currently no agricultural use taking place on the property, which is 80 per cent developed as buildings, concrete pads and gravel landings used to sort and process fruit.

The site was a former packing house operation that ceased in September, 2017 as part of B.C. Tree Fruits modernization and consolidation plan, which includes construction of a new, comprehensive facility near Kelowna.

Packinghouse operations had been conducted on the property for the past 80 years, but the costly upgrades needed resulted in closure of the site in 2017.

B.C.Tree Fruits would like to have the land excluded from the Agricultural Land Reserve because it wishes to sell the property, the proceeds of which would be applied to the new facility near Kelowna.

But with its lakefront location, the fruit co-operative believes the sale of the property could be maximized once it was removed from the land reserve.

The property can’t be used for agricultural purposes in its present developed state, and it no longer serves B.C.Tree Fruit’s purposes. Proceeds from the sale would be applied to the company’s new facility, which would help it remain competitive on world markets.

The applicant also pointed out the Town of Osoyoos has extra capacity to accommodate development of the parcel with an operational sanitary sewer main located nearby.

Adjacent properties include residences, farms and a pump house.

The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen noted the proposal was consistent with current zoning but not consistent with the Official Community Plan.

However, it did give the application the green light to proceed to the land commission, who have yet to make a decision.

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