Photo: District of Summerland

What The Fungus - Contents of Greenhouses

The District of Summerland has sided with a Garnet Valley mushroom farm in a dispute between neighbours.

Council unanimously voted Monday to grant a development variance permit to the “What The Fungus” mushroom farm at 18420 Garnet Valley Road to legalize a number of buildings built within the property’s setback.

Property owner Thor Clausen told council the farm does not grow mushrooms in manure, but rather wood chips, and as a result produces very little odour. Multiple buildings built four metres from the property line to store wood chips had upset a neighbour.

District of Summerland bylaws indicate farm buildings must be 30 metres back from a property line, something out of sync with provincial recommendations which suggest half that for farm buildings with fans or 7.5 metres for a mushroom barn. 

“No one is saying don’t grow mushrooms,” neighbour Brad Besler told council, arguing the buildings should be forced to be moved 30 metres away from the property line.

Besler told council his family planned on building a home towards the mushroom farm property lines and its operation was limiting development options. Both lots are within the ALR.

Clausen said the District of Summerland told him in 2014 during construction he did not need any type of variance permit, something that with turnover of staff at the municipality, no one was able to verify. Besler said his mother complained to the district back then and was shrugged off. 

The relationship between the farm and the Besler's has fouled in recent weeks to the point that Besler has been protesting the farm with large signage daily. 

Since its launch, “What The Fungus” has seen considerable success. The business has attracted students from across the continent to learn about its unique way of producing mushrooms. The farm’s YouTube channel has grown to 30,000 subscribers.   

Coun. Erin Carlson urged council to support the business.

“They are finding a way to use a small piece of agricultural land to do something unique and be a primary producer and try to create something that not only profits them but the whole community,” she said, adding the neighbour should be proud to have something so unique and successful in their neighbourhood. 

Carlson took aim at the 30 metre setbacks required for farm buildings in Summerland’s bylaws.

“If we were to ask this property to put their mushroom barn 30 metres from all property lines, they wouldn’t be able to build anything on this property,” she said. “It’s an impediment to many, many farms in this community."

District staff said they would be reviewing the bylaws around setbacks for farm buildings with the intention of bringing them closer in line with provincial recommendations. 

Council unanimously voted to approve the variance to the allow the mushroom growing facility to continue to operate as is.