Kelowna City Council delayed adopting a new DCC (Development Cost Charges) bylaw concerning farm property, saying it needed more information. Community Services General Manager John Vos was before council Monday asking for approval of the new policy which would bring it in line with DCC's charged to other developers. "Agricultural land provides a very challenging and unique situation for staff in that many things can occur on agricultural land that may not necessarily be what you would deem agricultural activity, yet they are in direct support of agricultural activity," says Vos. "Legally, council must deal with farm housing consistent with housing forms in other land use zones. The proposed policy formally addresses those uses and the criteria applied." Several on council had problems with adopting the new policy in its entirety. "I really think, instead of looking at the capital costs, we have to look at the benefits we have in the city from our agricultural lands. He have basically free green space," says Councillor Graeme James. "I know there are some non farm uses on agricultural land, but we have to look at what's best for the farmer. If we keep tacking on all these costs for other out-buildings -- the farmer is having a hard time as it is."
James says adding an extra $20,000 or $30,000 to build farm buildings or housing for their workers could have disastrous consequences. Councillor Robert Hobson added that to him, the issue was one of fairness and equity. "I am very sympathetic to farmers as well but unfortunately we have to be equally as sympathetic to everybody, that's our job. Farmers may deserve a break but next thing you know, people providing rental housing will want a further break," says Hobson. "What I don't want to do is create a whole range of unintended, excessive impacts on agriculture which are really not fair. Maybe it's not fair to load on a lot of additional charges." Council adopted a portion of the DCC bylaw dealing with charges applied where an existing home on agricultural land is converted to house farm help and a new home is constructed on the property. Staff will come back with further information on the remaining points of the bylaw.
James says adding an extra $20,000 or $30,000 to build farm buildings or housing for their workers could have disastrous consequences. Councillor Robert Hobson added that to him, the issue was one of fairness and equity. "I am very sympathetic to farmers as well but unfortunately we have to be equally as sympathetic to everybody, that's our job. Farmers may deserve a break but next thing you know, people providing rental housing will want a further break," says Hobson. "What I don't want to do is create a whole range of unintended, excessive impacts on agriculture which are really not fair. Maybe it's not fair to load on a lot of additional charges." Council adopted a portion of the DCC bylaw dealing with charges applied where an existing home on agricultural land is converted to house farm help and a new home is constructed on the property. Staff will come back with further information on the remaining points of the bylaw.
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