By Lyonel Doherty
Times-Chronicle
Members of the Vaseux Lake Stewardship Association are breathing a sigh of relief that a 35-unit campground will not see the light of day on their shores.
That’s because the Agricultural Land Commission (ALC) has rejected an application to exclude 1.2 hectares from the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) for the development of an RV trailer park on Vaseux Lake.
Norm Gaumont, chair of the Association, thanked people for their outpouring of support in signing a 14,600-signature petition to stop the development. He noted this definitely helped send a strong message (to the commission) regarding the community’s concerns.
He said surrounding homeowners were “appalled” by the proposal at 3500 Highway 97.
One of several environmental concerns include the destruction of the shoreline ecosystem which is presently a bird habitat. Another is the dangers of campground sewage leaking into the lake.
“An independent study needs to be done to assess how future flooding will affect any wastewater treatment system on the property,” Gaumont said.
Yet another concern is the potential for increased traffic accidents due to slow-moving trailers accessing the property from Highway 97.
Overall, Gaumont said wildlife conservation should take precedence over a commercial trailer park.
The property in question currently consists of 1.8 hectares of grape production, an alcohol production facility, a wine retail store and tasting room for Ramification Cellars.
According to archival documents, the property has had campground uses prior to 1972. Over the years, the property owners have applied for various non-farm developments that were subsequently denied by the ALC.
But the current applicant says the campground would complement the winery operation and address demand for tourism accommodation in the area. In addition, the owner submits the property was historically occupied by a campground that was previously approved by the ALC.
But the commission says the campground has not operated since the 1980s or 1990s, and the panel is “not bound to previous decisions of the commission.”
In its reasons for denial, the ALC finds that the property “has prime agricultural capability.” In addition, the panel states the “introduction of commercial tourism uses immediately adjacent to agricultural operations often results in conflict that negatively affects the farm operation.”
Overall, the proposed 35-unit campground would impact the agricultural utility of the property, said panel chair Gerald Zimmermann. But he did note that agri-tourism accommodation consisting of a maximum of 10 RV campsites is permitted in the ALR if constructed in compliance with the regulations.
