Photo: Google Maps

The City of Kelowna is getting its ducks in a row as it eyes a future expansion of operations at Kelowna International Airport.

The city has applied to the Agricultural Land Commission to have a small 1.2 acre lot it owns on Old Vernon Road taken out of the ALR.

In an application to the commission, the city says the airport intends to consolidate this parcel with surrounding land the city owns to the north and west for development.

The surrounding properties were excluded from the ALR in a separate application in August of 2016.

“If this parcel of land were to be excluded from the ALR, YLW intends to develop it for aeronautical-based airside purposes including future services needed to support anticipated growth at YLW,” the application states.

These include such uses as fueling, maintenance and cargo facilities.

With more than two million passengers moving through the airport in 2023 and an estimated 2.8 million by 2035, the application says growth is dependent on the ability of the airport to expand its facilities to accommodate the increase in passengers and aircraft movement.

“YLW has exhausted all non-ALR lands for airside development, so this exclusion is necessary for the continued growth of the airport.”

The property in question includes just a single detached home. There is no agricultural activity taking place.