College Seeks ALR Exclusions For Vernon Campus

Coldstream Council has passed on a request from Okanagan College to the Agricultural Land Commission.

The college wants to have the land the athletics park and upper parking lot sit on, taken out of the Agricultural Land Reserve.

That wasn’t done when both were constructed and Mayor Jim Garlick says the college is now looking to its growth.

“They’re looking at that and the track area into the future. What does the ALC believe is the vision for that in the future because then the college can go ahead and start a more long term planning process.”

The area has been used for parking lots since 1983.

Garlick says Council felt it was better to let the Agricultural Land Commission take care of it.

“And so they’re looking into the future, and want to have a talk with the ALC about the possibilities for that land. We’ve passed it on to the ALC so that can be dealt with.”

The college hopes to have the property excluded from the ALR so it can plan for educational infrastructure that best meets the community’s needs, possibly more classrooms.

“I think they want to sort of get a vision into the future, clean up what they have right now. Know where they’re heading.”

The college has had non-farm use approval from the beginning.

Plans for any future use, other than what’s there currently, have to go back to the Land Commission.

There are no objections from any local parties to the College’s plan.