Plan approved for more farm-worker living units

SUMMERLAND — In a split vote Monday, council approved a four-part development variance application that allows for an increase in the number of farm worker accommodations.

The application addressed the need of Mountain View Growers, a large silviculture nursery located near downtown Summerland, to provide accommodation for year-round workers.

The vote was 4-1 with Coun. Richard Barkwill casting the lone dissenting vote.

Mayor Peter Waterman and Coun. Janet Peake were absent.

Barkwill asked what assurance council had that the occupants of the new units would indeed be farm workers and questioned if such accommodations already existed in the area.

Development planner Alex Kondor said a restrictive covenant that occupants must be workers at that nursery would be placed on title.

Acting Mayor Doug Holmes said he would accept what the owners claimed until shown otherwise.

Coun. Erin Carlson told of a cherry orchard operation in the North Okanagan that provides accommodations “for hundreds of workers up to eight months of the year.”

The application before council was to vary bylaws that would reduce yard setbacks, allow for a farm help dwelling to be outside the “farm home plate,” increase the maximum number of bedrooms and increase the gross floor area.

George Gianotti, the agent acting on behalf of the Boerboom family who own Mountain View, told council that in the future there could be a need for accommodations for 60 to 70 workers.

“If contracts keep coming, that number could go bigger,” he said.

The local workforce cannot meet the nursery’s needs, so the owners must reach out to foreign workers, Gianotti explained.

The application considered Monday was for a 20-unit facility consisting of five Atco trailer-type structures connected to each other.

Each trailer would have one kitchen and 10 bedrooms.

The units are in sections and can be removed easily and they are not tying up agricultural land Gianotti said.

The Boerbooms have applied for an extension of the municipal sanitary sewer to their property.