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㽶ƵֱSave it or pave it㽶Ƶֱ: Councillor chimes in on future of Kelowna Springs golf course

Staff report to council earlier this year projected a significant need for industrial lands
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A tie vote means Kelowna Springs Golf Club lands will stay designated as future industrial use. (Photo/KSGC Facebook)

City council carded a tie vote on the future land use of Kelowna Springs golf course at Monday㽶Ƶֱs (Aug. 22) meeting.

It means the property at 480 Penno Road will remain designated as potential industrial use under the 2040 Official Community Plan (OCP). Under the B.C. Municipal Act a tied vote results in a motion being defeated. Councillors Luke Stack, Mohini Singh, Charlie Hodge, and Maxine DeHart voted in favour of having the golf course changed to private recreational. Mayor Colin Basran, as well as Councillors Loyal Wooldridge, Gail Given, and Ryan Donn voted against. Coun. Brad Sieben excused himself from the vote noting a conflict of interest. Stack made the original motion for the designation change at council㽶Ƶֱs July 26 meeting.

㽶ƵֱI know council has seen the many letters that we㽶Ƶֱve been receiving everyday on this matter of people wanting to see this golf course preserved,㽶Ƶֱ he said. 㽶ƵֱI㽶Ƶֱve yet to receive a letter from the public encouraging us to proceed and leave this as a future industrial site.㽶Ƶֱ

Stack added he believes there are alternatives to find needed industrial space in the city.

㽶ƵֱA professional commercial realty group was quoted last year as saying in their estimation there are 280 acres of underutilized industrial land in the city.㽶Ƶֱ

Stack noted there are undeveloped lots in the airport industrial park, Jim Bailey industrial park, areas of downtown Kelowna, and 182 acres of city-owned land next to the Glenmore landfill that might be suitable for industrial use. Mayor Basran said he came at the issue from an affordability and quality of life standpoint.

㽶ƵֱWe hear every single day about the affordability challenges and the issues that our residents are facing,㽶Ƶֱ he said. 㽶ƵֱSo I㽶Ƶֱm going to be making a tough decision but one that I believe in wholeheartedly in providing them with opportunities for good year-round jobs.㽶Ƶֱ

Basran added that industrial land is scarce and expensive.

㽶ƵֱIn order for businesses to be able to set up shop here, land has to be affordable in the appropriate places for them to do so. If we don㽶Ƶֱt have that land, the price of industrial land continues to rise.㽶Ƶֱ

Coun. Stack argued that the public has spoken clearly to him in asking council to retain the golf course.

㽶ƵֱI remember a saying of our former Mayor Walter Gray. His comment was the public is always right.㽶Ƶֱ

A staff report to council earlier this year projected a significant need for industrial lands in the city over the next twenty years to keep pace with demand. According to that report, the Kelowna Springs golf course owner approached the city in 2020 to explore opportunities for either a commercial or industrial land use designation change for the property.

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gary.barnes@kelownacapnews.com

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Gary Barnes

About the Author: Gary Barnes

Journalist and broadcaster for three decades.
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