Lake Country municipal staff are split over a variance application by BC Tree Fruits to expand their Bottom Wood Lake Road facilities.
The planning department has signed off on the variance to waive an estimated $223,000 in frontage road improvements to coincide with the addition of a one-storey addition to an existing building on site at 9751 Bottom Wood Lake Rd., while the engineering and infrastructure services departments don’t support the application.
In a report to council, district planner Blessy Zachariah said while recognizing the importance of the required frontage improvements, only a small area of the building addition falls within the district’s boundary.
“Based on proportionality and reasonableness, staff recommends approval of the variance,” stated Zachariah.
The BC Tree Fruits application was originally to come be before council at the May 2 meeting, but was pushed back at the last minute due to changes in who was handling the file for the company.
The plant site straddles civic boundaries, incorporating three properties in Lake Country and one property in Kelowna.
There is significant movement of materials, goods, vehicles and workers between the four properties, including frequent crossings of Bottom Wood Lake Road, said the planning report.
The engineering department supports the subdivision and development servicing bylaw requirements which for the BC Tree Fruits proposal would include highways and walkways, sidewalks, curb and gutter, storm drain, street lighting and underground utilities.
In particular, traffic and pedestrian safety concerns were cited as was industrial vehicle (forklift) crossing Bottom Wood Lake Road to move materials between facility locations which effectively creates a series of uncontrolled intersections.
In moving forward, the engineering department felt the need for a traffic management plan that addresses traffic and access related issues.