Summerland council has given its approval to a location for a food processing facility.

Following a public hearing on March 4, council gave third reading to the site at 15815 Hwy. 97.

The application is for a 2,600 square metre agricultural processing facility to be used as a farmer-owned cooperative and the Okanagan Food and Innovation Hub.

The property, at the corner of Highway 97 and Jones Flat Road, is within the Agricultural Land Reserve. However, the Official Community Plan designation and zoning must be changed to accommodate the facility.

In a report to council, Laura Lajeunesse, a planner for the municipality, explained that the existing community plan designation is Agricultural, which would be changed to Agri-Industrial. The zoning is A1-Agriculture Small Acreage, which would change to M3-Agri-Industrial.

In addition, two buildings on the property would be demolished and a new building would be constructed to serve as the processing facility.

Coun. Doug Patan said concerns have been raised about possible traffic congestion on Jones Flat Road, at the road access to the property. Some in the community have also raised concerns about odours from the agricultural by-products at the food processing facility.

However, Coun. Janet Peake said the facility would be 香蕉视频直播渁n economic and tourism boost for the area.香蕉视频直播�

The Okanagan Food and Innovation Hub, Community Futures Okanagan Similkameen, the Ministry of Agriculture and the municipality have been working on the regional food hub since 2023. In 2024, LocalMotive Organic Delivery joined as a partner.

An information session on the project was held in late January.

Council gave first two readings to the bylaw for this property at the Feb. 11 council meeting. Following the public hearing, council gave third reading to the project.

However, approval from the Agricultural Land Commission is required before the bylaw can be adopted.