A composite image depicting the future housing development.

Dale Boyd

Times-Chronicle

Osoyoos town council signed off on the second phase of a three-stage housing development Monday.

The first of the two proposed housing developments in the area 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 three-acre) part of the property at 10129 74 Ave. — also known as phase two of the town’s Meadowlark Plan.

The development will be made up single-family homes with walk-up basements, single-family homes with suites, rancher-style homes and duplex homes and one of the lots previously identified for residential purposes in the proposal is now being explored as possible park space.

“The specific location for each of the styles of homes within phase two will be based on demand and site-specific details,” said Gina MacKay, director of planning and development services for the Town of Osoyoos.

At least 15 per cent of the total number of residential units within each of the phases of the Meadowlark area must be registered in the town’s Near Market Housing program. The program stipulates that the homes in the program be made available for sale at 15 per cent below market value.

The developer of phase two will be required to register a minimum of six residential units, either single-family homes or half of a duplex, for the near-market pricing program. Owners of near-market homes will be required by the agreement to retain the home for five years before selling at market value, as with the first phase of the Meadowlark Plan.

The property is currently designated as agricultural land, but lies in the Meadowlark Plan adopted by a past council in 2010 and approved by the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MoTI) and the Agricultural Land Commission (ALC). The ALC approved the plan to transition the property to residential development in phases. The council of the day agreed to a phased approach to remove land from the agricultural land reserve in 2010.

Members of the public put forward concerns about a kettle pond and traffic safety measures on 74th Avenue at a public hearing on March 2 for phases two and three of the development. A packed house of roughly 24 people came to the hearing in council chambers in March to put forward their comments. Multiple residents expressed concern about the pond located on the property where phase two is planned. The pond plays host to a variety wildlife.

A conservation covenant will be registered on the foreshore area of the pond “in order to protect the habitat of the species that live in and near the pond and frequent the area,” MacKay said.

“The pond itself will be dedicated to the town and preserved as a natural habitat,” MacKay said.

After the third reading of the zoning amendment bylaw was passed by council unanimously Monday, the application is sent to MoTI for formal approval and the ALC board for review and comment. Preliminary approval was provided by MoTI in January, 2020.

Phase three of the Meadowlark Plan is expected to come before council in about a month, when traffic safety measures can be addressed by council.