Digging in for a long night

Photo: Westcorp

Kelowna city councillors are getting ready for what is expected to be a long night around the council table.

The agenda for tonight's public hearing includes two items expected to spark a lot of interest.

The first, an application by the Geen family to allow farm worker housing to accommodate up to 140 temporary workers. City bylaws allow for a maximum of 60 workers to be housed on any one farm.

The property is along the west side of Highway 97, just south of the boundary with Lake Country, bordering onto Shanks Road.

A property owner south of the cherry orchard has expressed concern about the application.

Following that, Westcorp's proposal for a 33-storey hotel and condo tower on the downtown Kelowna waterfront will come before council.

Westcorp was originally approved for a 24-storey hotel with 214 rooms and a conference centre in 2014. However, a shift in the housing market prompted the Edmonton-based company to include 49 for-sale condos as part of the new proposal.

As of Monday morning, the city had received 108 pieces of correspondence concerning the project, with 104 in support. City staff are recommending council turn down the proposal.