The regional district has approved an application that will see Burrowing Owl Estate Winery seek a “non-farm use” by expanding its alcoholic beverage list at the Sonora Room restaurant.
The winery has applied to the Agricultural Land Commission (ALC) to expand the list under a subsequent Food Primary Licence from the Liquor Control and Licensing Branch.
Currently, the Sonora Room can only serve alcohol products produced on the premises. Under the new licence, it can serve beer and spirits from anywhere in BC.
The winery is making it clear that the expanded produce line only extends to beer made in BC and liqueurs made primarily from waste BC fruit production.
Winery proprietor Jim Wyse said he has stated for nearly four years now that their initial motivation was to increase the beverages offered to include just beer.
“To make this proposal more palatable to those who feel that this is somehow going to offend lofty agricultural goals, we said that the beer offered at the Sonora Room would be locally made.”
Then, as a further addition, the notion of adding liqueurs made locally from waste fruit was also included.
“This is a wonderful example of showcasing a delicious agricultural product made from scrap, locally grown fruit.”
Wyse said they hope to start serving locally made beer and liqueurs to tourists next spring.
“If any winery has invested the kind of money that some of us have into fine dining restaurant facilities that truly improve our provincial agri-tourism inventory, those businesses should have the ability to further upgrade their licenses to food primaries.”
Wyse said these applications could be treated on a case-by-case basis, where agri-tourism benefits are balanced with agricultural sensitivities in a reasonable manner.
Area C director Allan Patton said there was a lot of debate about this application at the October 3 board meeting. But it passed by a solid majority.
Patton said most of the discussion was on the enforcement issue and the challenge that will create. He noted they want to ensure that only wines and beer from BC are served.
Patton said other wineries such as Tinhorn Creek and Hester Creek have jumped on the Food Primary Licence bandwagon too.
Area A (rural Osoyoos) director Mark Pendergraft said the ALC has given permission to other wineries, therefore, it should likely do the same for all.
“In regards to concerns about non-farm uses in the ALR, this does concern me, but as long as it is the exception rather than the rule, I do not see it as a huge issue.”
The Sonora Room previously operated under a Food Primary Licence, but that was relinquished in 2005 in favour of a winery lounge endorsement.
In 2009, the winery submitted a non-farm use application to convert back to the Food Primary Licence. But the ALC refused on the basis that such a licence portrayed more of a commercial venture in the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALC).
However, there has been a change in winery policy, with Tinhorn Creek being approved for a Food Primary Licence, and Hester Creek next on the table.
Regional district planner Christopher Garrish said a Food Primary Licence was previously seen by the board as potentially diminishing a winery’s agricultural operation, allowing a restaurant to exist as an independent commercial entity.
Garrish noted that approving an operation under a Food Primary Licence is not supported by the zoning bylaw because an eating and drinking establishment is not permitted in the agricultural zones.
But the planner said the regional district has proposed an amendment to the bylaws by adding the sale of BC-produced alcoholic beverages in the definition of “winery.”
Garrish said expanding the beverage list in the Sonora Room is unlikely to result in increased seating or vehicle parking.
Lyonel Doherty
Oliver Chronicle
