The consultation process for a proposed bylaw standard for residential uses in the Agricultural Land Reserve continues.
The BC Fruit Growers Association recently responded to the Ministry of Agriculture’s discussion paper outlining proposals for the development of a draft minister’s bylaw for residential uses in the ALR. The bylaw would provide guidance to the local governments such as the Regional District Okanagan Similkameen when making decisions on land use proposals within the ALR.
Several member organizations and individual farmers and ranchers have provided input to the BCFGA since publication of the discussion paper, sending a message that expressed a need for considerably more flexibility that what was proposed in the discussion paper. Agriculturalists see the proposals as being too restrictive, creating impediments to meeting residential and agricultural business needs. Further problems are anticipated as farmers move increasingly towards value-added activities such as on-farm processing.
BCAA has requested an opportunity to review results of an on-line survey as well as being provided with a time to discuss potential options for solutions based on those results.
It is expected the talks will take place by early September.