By Don Urquhart, Times Chronicle
More details have emerged around the recent acquisition of a property by the Town of Osoyoos which came with a surprise in the form of renters, which the town maintains was not indicated in the purchase agreement.
Rod Risling, Osoyoos Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) confirmed the property in question is located at 7710 Main St. and was purchased for $1.8 million.
While he is not at liberty to say who the seller was due to privacy constraints, the Times Chronicle has separately confirmed that the seller is Kevin Primeau who is a licensed professional real estate agent and acted on his own behalf in the sale of the property.
The property has been listed for several years, reaching an asking price as high as $2.5 million in 2021. According to BC Assessment, the current assessed value of the property is $1.19 million of which the vast majority (over $1 million) is the land alone.
Location of the property at 7710 Main St. is identified by the red star above.
Google Map image
The town took the step of purchasing the property because it helped mitigate the estimated $3.7 million that was allocated in the 2024 budget – a number that has likely grown over the several months since being estimated – to relocate an existing sewer line and pump station along the foreshore.
The purchase enables the town to have a sufficient easement to access the critical infrastructure and avoids the “extremely high risk” project of moving all the sewer hookups from the rear of the properties along the line to the front.
“We would never have bought it if we didn’t have our infrastructure and pump station there,” Risling noted.
Risling also reiterated that the property was purchased from Primeau as “vacant”. “We purchased the property free and clear as vacant, however, there were issues, and ultimately, the town is doing everything to cooperate with the third party, those involved in the property from a third party perspective.”
For the pair of tenants that received a rude awakening when their, now previous landlord informed them the property had been sold, the town said it is working with them to come to an amenable agreement and “at this point we think all the third party interests are satisfied with our actions,” Risling said.
When asked if that meant the couple could remain living in the house, he affirmed that they could “continue their occupancy”.
Risling added that there is no urgency regarding the house as it is the easement access that is the important component. At some point in the future the house could be used for staff accommodation when new hires are brought on board, he said, although this would require rezoning.
Currently, the property is zoned Tourist Commercial (CT1) meaning it cannot be leased out to residential tenants. Under the principal permitted uses the property can be used for: An alcohol production facility; eating and drinking establishment; indoor/outdoor recreation; and tourist accommodation.
According to town zoning bylaws “tourist accommodation” is defined as “a building or buildings providing temporary accommodation for the travelling public, such as lodges, motels, hotels, inns, or hostels.”
Speaking to the Times Chronicle Bailey Jaymes and her partner Tyler Herman said that as of Jan. 23, they once again have keys to the house and have arranged with a friend to stay at the house until they return.
The couple indicated they didn’t want to comment further until their lawyer gave them the green light to do so.
Meanwhile, as of this week (Jan. 27), two portable units remain on the site despite the Town taking possession over a week prior.
A portable office trailer located in the front of the property which the Times Chronicle understands was previously leased by a condominium developer is expected to be removed from the property sometime this week after the utilities were disconnected last week.
Risling said that the town, out of goodwill, is working with the Osoyoos Desert Centre which purchased the portable office structure to facilitate its relocation.
Also situated on the property is a travel trailer and the Town has learned from the seller that it has a new owner and that they will be in contact with the town when they have a schedule to move it.
