Temporary wine storage faces some opposition

A former cannery building will be a wine storage location for at least two more years.

Summerland council on Monday approved the renewal of a temporary use permit for property at 13415 Lakeshore Drive in a 5-2 split decision.

The permit authorizes the commercial use of “wine storage” by FreshTAP Logistics for another two years.

FreshTAP, a Vancouver-based company which provides wine-on-tap in stainless steel kegs, rents the facilities.

Councillors Doug Holmes and Richard Barkwill opposed renewal.

Barkwill said the application should be considered a new application rather than a renewal because Freshtap missed the deadline for renewal this past November.

Barkwill vetoed permitting the president of FreshTAP to speak.

A unanimous decision is required to allow members of the public to address council during discussion.

Holmes’ position both when the permit was initially approved and on Monday was that temporary storage should not be an excuse for not developing or delaying development of the property.

Temporary-use permits allow for income on the property while the owners develop the property.

A large run-down building on the site was demolished in preparation for future development, but a formal proposal for development has yet to be submitted.

“I think we should work towards a really great project on Lakeshore which may take some time,” Coun. Erin Carlson said.