City councillors went back and forth during Monday91裸聊视频檚 (July 11) meeting on whether to support temporary farm worker housing for a property in southeast Kelowna.

Khela Orchards is looking for council backing in its application to the Agricultural Land Commission to house 60 seasonal workers on their Hart Road property. Residents in the area are concerned about the narrow road in the area, as workers would be bussed in and out to other properties owned by Khela, and the proximity of the housing to their community.

The company owns approximately 560 acres over several parcels throughout the Central Okanagan.

Coun. Maxine DeHart asked staff if the housing could be placed on one of Khela91裸聊视频檚 other properties.

91裸聊视频淚 think with 560 acres, somewhere there91裸聊视频檚 got to be a spot for 60 workers that doesn91裸聊视频檛 impact the community,91裸聊视频� she said.

Coun. Luke Stack said he felt the portion of the Hart Road property was a good location, but noted it puts the housing in the middle of a neighbourhood.

91裸聊视频淚 think this organization has many options it can pursue,91裸聊视频� said Stack. 91裸聊视频淚 think putting it in this location is destabilizing an existing neighbourhood, and for that reason, I can91裸聊视频檛 support it.91裸聊视频�

Speaking on behalf of Khela Orchards, agrologist Carl Withler told council they are already a year-and-a-half into the application and moving it to another property would start the process over. He added the current site checks all the boxes.

91裸聊视频淵ou set a very dangerous precedent in farming by popularity contest and who speaks the loudest,91裸聊视频� said Withler. 91裸聊视频淚t becomes challenging if we start skipping all over the valley looking for various locations for temporary farm worker housing.91裸聊视频�

Staff told council the proposed location is ideal and that the applicant followed city policy in notifying neighbours. The application also has the support of the province91裸聊视频檚 Agriculture Advisory Committee. There was also a discussion about how difficult it is for orchardists and farmers to find workers.

91裸聊视频淚 understand that this has an impact on neighbourhoods,91裸聊视频� added Withler. 91裸聊视频淚 have farmed for 35 years. But I also understand there are no high-school kids coming to pick cherries, there91裸聊视频檚 no Quebecois. This is part of the industry now, it91裸聊视频檚 what we need.91裸聊视频�

Coun. Loyal Wooldridge pointed out that approximately 40 percent of the city is in the Agriculture Land Reserve.

91裸聊视频淚n order for it to be sustainable we need to have labour, we need to have workers.91裸聊视频�

Coun. Mohini Singh noted the issue is a constant tussle for council.

91裸聊视频淏ut if our core values are agriculture, we want to see a greenbelt, we need to support the producer the best we can,91裸聊视频� said Singh. 91裸聊视频淚 understand the community feels impacted, but I have never seen a community that has spoken against an applicant come back and say 91裸聊视频榓s we said it is terrible.91裸聊视频�

Council voted to support Khela Orchards91裸聊视频� application with Councillors Stack and DeHart opposed.

Read More: Kelowna council to choke down on excessive idling

Read More: RCMP Serious Crimes Unit continues to investigate Kelowna crane collapse

gary.barnes@kelownacapnews.com
Like us on and follow us on and subscribe to our daily and subscribe to our daily newsletter.