(File photo)

Dale Boyd

Osoyoos Times 

Osoyoos town council voted to send two major housing developments to public hearing, aiming to build 16 rental units included in 51 units housing in town, 15 per cent of which will be near-market priced.
The first of the two proposed developments was put forward by applicant Hart Buckendahl of Cherry Lake Enterprises to build 23 single-family homes and four duplexes including a minimum of eight rental suites on a 1.2-hectare (or 3-acre) part of the property at 10129 74 Ave.
The property is currently designated as agricultural land, but lies in the Meadowlark Plan previously adopted by a past council in 2010 and approved by the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MoTI) and the Agricultural Land Commission (ALC) to transition the property to residential development. The council of the day agreed to a phased approach to remove land from the agricultural land reserve in 2010.
“The (ALC) recognized the area as already being cut up by scattered development and no longer offers good potential for agriculture. However, the commission required a plan be submitted for their review which establishes a broad range of suitable land uses,” said Gina MacKay, director of planning and development services for the Town of Osoyoos.
At the Jan. 20 regular meeting, council voted to give the first two readings for the amendment to the Official Community Plan bylaw, prior to a public hearings to be held in March.
The third phase of the Meadowlark Plan, which council also discussed and voted through to a public hearing at the Jan. 20 meeting, involves a different application from different developers, who are working together through the town to create housing
on the adjacent property.
The property, dubbed the third phase of the Meadowlark Plan, is located north of the Cherry Lake Enterprises development at 110105 74 Ave. Applicant Dexter Hirabe, planner with WSP Consulting Services, is looking to build a total of 28 residential units on the 0.8-hectare (1.9-acre) developable portion of the land  — including a minimum of eight secondary rental suites.
The two developers are working together to move forward with the housing developments, said MacKay, and both public hearings will occur on the same date.
The procedure for both developments is similar to what past council followed to develop the near-market housing constructed near the fire hall, MacKay said, and water and sewer extensions are paid for by the developers.
“The Meadowlark Plan states (prices have) to be 10 per cent below market rental. If we can get it lower, we will get it lower,” MacKay said.
The developments are looking to bolster the town’s rental and housing stock, MacKay said.
“It’s really exciting for the community, particularly new rental suites coming on board, new near market housing, new near market housing agreement and of course the ground-level entry rental suites is really great,” MacKay said.
The next step is for residents to have their say at a public hearing held March 2 at 4 p.m. in council chambers prior to council giving the final go-ahead to the development.