By Sebastian Kanally, Times Chronicle

Despite a recommended denial for reasons including urban sprawl, a Willowbrook property in Electoral Area “C” will be allowed to “unhook”. 

The Regional District of the Okanagan-Similkameen (RDOS) board of directors voted against the recommendation and allowed a property to unhook part of the property that is divided by a highway. 

The 21.98 ha property at 3775 Willowbrook Road, is divided onto the east and west side of Willowbrook Road.

It was Rick Knodel, director of Area “C” who made the alternate recommendation to approve the multiple bylaw amendments to separate the property. He explained there was a change in circumstances which led to where the property is now. 

“This lot was already improved for a residence under our existing laws, so it doesn’t cause any urban sprawl, and due to a family tragedy, it changed the dynamics of the family, and made this somewhat unnecessary.”

As a result of the change in circumstances, “the development of the property is no longer viewed as necessary for the extended family, so it would add to the area. It has no effect on the dynamics of the area, it’s not in the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR), and it would never be farmable as it is steep and rugged, so I see no reason to deny this.” 

He went on further to explain the hazard of the entrances to the properties, noting that the pictures don’t do it justice. 

“Both accesses being angled and on a blind corner would create a hazard, and if you owned both properties you would be crossing more than normal.”

The RDOS reasoning for recommending a denial was that it was deemed inconsistent with the growth management policies of the Regional Growth Strategy (RGS) and Official Community Plan (OCP). 

It was deemed inconsistent because subdividing the property would facilitate development outside of a growth area and contribute to urban sprawl. 

“The incremental subdivision of large intact rural parcels into smaller residential parcels outside of designated growth areas generally results in unplanned, disorderly growth and the inefficient use of land and resources,” the report reads. 

The board’s approval of these land-use bylaw amendments means the matter will now go to a public hearing which will be held in Area “C”. 

The Small Holdings designation for the proposed lot would allow for one single detached dwelling and an accessory building due to it being over 1 ha.