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August 09, 2016 - 1:32 PM
RV PARKS ON FARMS A CONSTANT SOURCE OF BYLAW COMPLAINTS
KELOWNA - One door has closed while another has opened for owners of agricultural land in Kelowna.
Last week, the provincial government announced a limited number of weddings, festivals and concerts can now be held on farms and orchards.
In the meantime, Kelowna council has banned any future use of agricultural land for agri-tourism accommodation — RV parks on farms and orchards.
Urban planning manager Ryan Smith told council the agri-tourism accommodation bylaw in Kelowna has worked out better in theory than practice.
Of 15 legally operated agri-tourism RV parks, Smith said five are facing legal action, four are of concern with only four compliant with the agri-tourism bylaw that forbids stays over 30 days, permanent structures and year-around occupancy. Two more are in development, Smith added.
RV parks have been a constant source of bylaw complaints with a record of poor compliance since council first allowed them, he said. Most have little or no agri-tourism associated with their operations.
While the 15 existing RV parks will be allowed to remain, subject to their compliance, no more RV park applications will be supported by staff or accepted by council, Smith added.
Council in February approved a 10-pad RV park on a 14-acre hobby farm on KLO Road.
Find more Kelowna agriculture stories here.
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