Fight over golf course returning to Kelowna city council

The battle over the fate of the Kelowna Springs Golf Course will return to Kelowna city council next week.

Councillor Luke Stack filed a notice of motion at a council meeting today, Jan. 9, to change the future land use designation back to recreational.

“When this motion is reintroduced to council, I will bring forward my comments about the importance of maintaining this property as private recreational use and, at the time when I bring it forward, I will address the issues of quality of life for Kelowna residents, the environmental comments related to climate change and natural resources and the economic reasons related to the motion,” Stack said.

In the city’s official community plan that was adopted last year, the 106-acre golf course was given a future land use designation as industrial.

It’s currently zoned for a golf course but it was for sale at the time based on the potential zoning change.

Stack made a motion in July to have that designation reconsidered and won by a 4-3 margin. At that time councillor Brad Sieben had declared a conflict and left the meeting. Councillor Gail Given was away.

When the formal motion to reconsider went to council there was a heated debate and it was defeated because of a 4-4 tie.

READ MORE: Kelowna council 'hastening the demise' of Kelowna Springs Golf Course: Councillor

At the time Coun. Stack was supported by councillors Mohini Singh, Charlie Hodge and Maxine DeHart, all of whom were re-elected.

That battle against the change was led by then-Mayor Colin Basran. Along with Coun. Given, he was supported by councillor Ryan Donn. Basran and Coun. Given were defeated in the Oct. 15, 2022, election. Donn did not run for re-election. Councillor Loyal Wooldridge also voted against making the change.

If the reconsideration gets the support of the majority of city council next week, the matter will go to a public hearing before any changes are made.

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