A Lake Country property owner is seeking approval to develop seven seasonal campsites on their agricultural land at 12820 Trewitt Road. 

The plan is to turn the area into tourist accommodations, but first, they need approval from both the Agricultural Land Commission (ALC) and the district.

The land, currently used as an orchard, is within the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR), meaning certain non-farming uses require special permission. The property owner has already applied to the ALC to run the campsites, as well as to rezone the property to allow for agri-tourism accommodation, which would permit the development. While Lake Country91裸聊视频檚 Official Community Plan (OCP) supports agri-tourism initiatives, a zoning change is required to allow tourist accommodations on the property.

A staff report noted that the district91裸聊视频檚 Agricultural Advisory Committee (AAC) reviewed the proposal and expressed concern over setting a precedent for further tourist accommodations in the area. The AAC also raised issues about the site plan, particularly its location within the orchard, which might lead to problems with spray drift from agricultural activities. The AAC pointed out that there was no clear plan for integrating agri-tourism activities with the proposed campsites.

Despite these concerns, staff are generally in support of the proposal, noting that the development would offer the property owner a new source of income and align with OCP goals that encourage agri-tourism as a way to help farmers diversify their businesses and promote local tourism.

If the proposal moves forward, the property owner would need to address infrastructure issues such as proper access to the site, a sewer plan, and separate water service for the campsites. They would also need to consider measures to manage orchard overspray.

Council will consider the application at its Jan. 14 meeting to decide whether to support the application and forward it to the ALC for consideration.