Controversial plan to redevelop part of Kelowna Springs golf course coming back to city council

The fate of Kelowna Springs

Photo: Kelowna Springs

Rezoning of Kelowna Springs Golf Course returning to city council

The latest redevelopment proposal for a portion of the Kelowna Springs property at 480 Penno Road comes back to city council Monday.

This is just the latest in a series of Official Community Plan and rezoning changes and controversy for the property since the sale of the golf course first surfaced three years ago.

Vancouver-based Denciti Development purchased the golf course for north of $30 million after its land use designation within the 2040 Official Community Plan was changed from recreational to industrial.

The uproar throughout the community led council to take a look at changing the designation.

After one failed attempt by the previous council, the current council, many of whom campaigned on saving the course, voted to return the land use to recreational.

Despite the land use change, Denciti has moved forward with plans for an industrial development that covers the back nine of Kelowna Springs.

The application to amend the OCP and rezone 22.2 hectares of the property for industrial use will come before council Monday.

The development, according to plans, will include an indoor pickleball facility. City planners are in support of the application.

“The proposal achieves an excellent balance of retaining recreational land, preserving natural areas, and facilitating economic development. Specifically, the proposal is to rezone approximately half of the property known as ‘Kelowna Springs Golf Course’ for future industrial uses,” the report states.

“The remaining half of the property is to remain designated for private recreational uses and operated as a 9-hole golf course.

“The golf course land as well as the majority of the existing water features/ponds are proposed to be protected using a land exchange agreement in which the city would take over the golf course and natural areas in exchange for city owned industrial land located near the roundabout at John Hindle Drive and Highway 97.”

The land swap is conditional on the industrial development for half the course being approved.

Should council give preliminary approval to the the proposal, it would have to go to a public hearing before final adoption could be considered.

The earliest public hearing date on the council schedule is March 10.