Liquor license for new winery on hold due to traffic concerns

Photo: Contributed

Construction at new Crown and Thieves Winery

West Kelowna council has put the brakes on a liquor license application for a new winery due to the inadequacies of a couple of rural, neighbourhood roads.

The application, brought forward by owners of Crown and Thieves Winery, seeks a lounge endorsement and special events liquor license for indoor, and outdoor lounge areas at the winery, under construction on Harding Road.

The application would allow for a combined occupancy of 146, including staff, with a special events provision allowing transfer of the license to the basement for special events. The winery is being constructed in the style of a several-hundred-year-old ruin.

Council was unanimous in its support of the venture, but was concerned about access to the winery off Angus and Harding roads.

"I want to see this winery succeed, but I question large volumes of traffic going down Harding and Angus then turning onto Gellatly," said Coun. Rick de Jong.

"To me, that doesn't work. The answer really is Brown Road."

Coun. Doug Findlater agreed getting traffic from Brown Road would be a better solution.

"Harding and Angus are really not upgraded to the point where we want a lot of traffic on them," he said.

"I am really supportive of what this applicant does, and what they want to continue to do in the community, but if I am being totally honest, I struggle with this," added Coun. Stephen Johnston.

"I'm concerned about the volume and the condition of those roads."

Council agreed to defer a decision to give the owner more time to come up with a better solution.