OSOYOOS COUNCIL BRIEFS

Craft brewery in the works for Watermark

Locally-produced beer may soon be available at the south end of the Watermark Resort complex after Osoyoos council gave initial approval of the idea this afternoon.

According to a report to council from senior planner Don McArthur: “Wesley Grieve has expressed interest in leasing space at the Watermark Resort to establish a craft brewery in the former Juice Box.”

One of the town’s zoning bylaws needs to be tweaked in order for the proposal to go ahead. The bylaw that allows for craft distilleries to be located in commercially-zoned areas so far doesn’t allow for breweries.

McArthur said staff recommended the change because “craft distilleries are already permitted in the downtown area, brewing and distillation are similar activities, and the revisions will facilitate the creation of a new business and potential employer in the community.”

Council approved the first two readings of the amendment. It will go to a public hearing in council chambers at 4 pm on October 7.

Notice miscue derails public hearing 

Several residents of the Lambert Court neighbourhood went away disappointed this afternoon when a public hearing regarding a proposed townhouse development was abruptly cancelled because of a foul-up in the notification process.

The hearing was to hear public input on a proposed six-townhome development between 92nd Avenue and Lambert Court, just north of the City Furniture and Red Apple shopping centre.

A long letter from area residents Robert Abbott and Felicia Taylor outlined a large number of environmental, aesthetic and practical objections to the proposal. An 18-name petition opposing the development accompanied the letter.

Many of the petitioners were at council chambers this afternoon, hoping to convince council to deny the needed re-zoning.

However, just before proceedings were to get under way, Mayor Sue McKortoff and planning director Gina MacKay informed the crowd that the published notice of the hearing stated it would be held on “Tuesday, September 16,” instead of Monday.

Fearing running afoul of the notice rules, council decided to postpone the hearing until 4:30 pm – Monday October 7th.

by Roy Wood