Orchard gets added help

Photo: City of Kelowna

Kelowna city council took the side of agriculture in a dispute over whether 140 temporary farm workers should be allowed on an orchard in the northern portion of the city.

Neighbours to the north and south of the property bordering Highway 97 and Shanks Road, just south of Lake Country, voiced concerns over personal security and the believability of the applicant that would allow housing for the workers, which far exceeds the allowable number of 60 workers being housed on one property.

"I'm concerned how this proposal will affect our property values," said Chelsea Iverson, speaking on behalf of her mother, who lives to the north of the cherry orchard.

"There is no privacy fencing, so we are concerned about these temporary workers being around and having easy access to our property, our housing and our garage, as well as our orchard."

Iverson also said she had concerns for the security of friends and family who visit during the summer, their belongings and their vehicles.

"We have had temporary farm workers up and down the valley for years," said Coun. Mohini Singh, defending the practice.

"There have been zero property crimes, zero assaults, zero murders, zero rapes, zero crimes, because they come here to work."

Singh said if the workers do anything wrong, they won't be able to come back.

"I want you to take comfort in that. They will not be infringing on your rights."

Norm Melnichuk, who lives to the south of the Geen orchard, said he had a hard time believing much of what was being proposed.

"If I'm able to believe even a quarter of what I've seen...I would be more inclined to support the project," he said.

He believes Geen is fibbing when he states large trucks will not be using an inner road and Shanks Road to bring cherries into the orchard.

Melnichuk says his property is about 100 metres from where the dormitories will be located and in a direct line of sight of the picnic area.

"You'll have 140 people conversing, cooking and eating, having a few cervezas outside, seven days a week for the entire summer. That's not what I purchased my house for, that's not why I invested my money there. It's not fair.

"We're putting the production of cherries and the use of agricultural land ahead of safety and human rights for the workers."

Geen reiterated to council semis will not use Shanks Road, but instead will utilize Highway 97. He says school buses will use Shanks Road to transport workers to and from other farms the family operates up and down the valley.

"The bottom line is, the farmer has to get the fruit off the tree, and that's why we have foreign workers, because we don't have enough people in our valley that want to pick fruit," said Coun. Maxine DeHart.

"I am sympathetic to the neighbours to the north and the south," added Coun. Brad Sieben.

"Their way of life will change undoubtedly, but I think the applicant has been very thoughtful of this, and has gone above and beyond to try and create buffers to make the changes. I think a lot of the apprehensions of the unknown have been mitigated."