Image credit: Ridge North America

By Pete McIntyre

List of conditions

Okanagan Gondola gets preliminary support from RDNO

Mar 21, 2022 | 5:00 AM

The Regional District of North Okanagan board has given support-in-principal to the Okanagan Gondola proposal planned for land west of Highway 97 south of Vernon.

However, the venture still faces a fairly lengthy road ahead to get final approval for official community plan and zoning changes.

The board has set several conditions prior to it considering second reading of the bylaw.

1. comments from: RDNO Community Services (Parks) department, First Nations, City of Vernon, and the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure,

2. the applicant has to hold a public information meeting

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3. the applicant has to provide confirmation in writing from a qualified professional geotechnical engineer that the subject property is safe for the intended use

4. the applicant has to submit a hydrogeological study to determine the impacts, if any, of the proposed development on the water supply of existing users in the surrounding area and the underlying aquifer

5. the applicant has to submit a study prepared by a professional geotechnical engineer which evaluates the subject property and provides recommendations for potential onsite septic sewage disposal associated with the proposed development

The applicant, Ridge North America, will also have to get approval from the Agricultural Land Commission for any proposed non-farm use of the portions of the property within the Agricultural Land Reserve.

RDNO Electoral Area B director Bob Fleming said the Ministry of Transportation has also requested a traffic study.

“I guess that traffic would include both Bailey Road and potentially the portion of the highway where traffic might flow towards the proposed development onto Bailey Road,” Fleming told Vernon Matters.

Fleming said the Transportation Ministry has also made a requirement for road dedication so the property for the Okanagan Gondola doesn’t actually border Bailey Road. A property in between is owned by the City of Vernon and the Crown.

Fleming said the proposal faces a “relatively long list of conditions” and he doesnt know how long the process to meet those could take.

“They are talking about timelines that I don’t think are possible, but I’m thinking it’s almost certainly several months.”

Ridge North America has applied for rezoning and official community plan changes for its proposal which includes a gondola on 285 acres west of Kalamalka Lake near the intersection with Bailey Road in Electoral Area B.

“If approved, the applicant proposes to develop the property for a variety of uses including a gondola, zip lines, restaurants, retail sales, outdoor light show area, wedding and event venues, tree forts, playground, plaza, amphitheatre, mountain biking and walking trails, agricultural activities, parking and on-site access routes,” a report from RDNO planning staff stated.