Back again: Illegal RV Parks on ALR

[khutchi]

The Agricultural Land Commission has identified tourist accommodation on agricultural land as the most abused mixed use designation in the province with unscrupulous operators renting out RV pads year round or adding extra pads in contravention of local zoning bylaws.

In 2010, the City of Kelowna adopted Bylaw 10269, regulated the siting and number of units permitted on a property based on size of property. In 2016, City Council approved Bylaw 11265, which prohibited any further agri-tourism accommodation operations in the City. This was due to the number of abuses of the use, specifically with permanent, year round tenants as opposed to temporary, seasonal tenants that are visiting the property for an agri-tourism experience.

And once again you see people like this with the nerve to show themselves in council chambers to justify their actions and try and legalize themselves (after they get caught)

https://kelownapublishing.escribemeetin ... entId=8044

"The facility has been illegally rented year round to residents who live on the property, and bylaw enforcement has been undertaken to address this. Through this application, the applicant is seeking to legalize the illegal use."

Maybe i'm way offside in saying this, but it seems to me that Calvin Kuipers and others like him have let disrespect for Bylaws slowly erode what was originally a good idea for tourism.... what are your thoughts?

[Queen K]

With affordable housing being at a premium, I'd say something shocking like, "leave them alone."

There simply aren't places to live that people can easily afford. The cheapest house to rent was $1,400 in Glenrosa and the prices rose to $3,000/month. One guy wants $1895/mon for 8 months, then move on. I take the family lives here during the summer only.

I didn't even to into condo rentals. I do not know what I'd be doing if I hadn't bought when I did. Living on ALR land hoping for the best? And I'll bet some of those people sold high and are trying to hold onto as much as they can for as long as they can.

How's that for beginners?

[GordonH]

As well for fruit growers have limited options to supplement/generate income from the land, beside growing fruit (which may or may not sell).

[khutchi]

Queen i get what you are saying.... there are a lot of reasons why existing owners may feel justified in doing this withof course THEIR land. and By no means do i think hard working farm owners that break these bylaws are villains.

But i don't think there is a understanding in our community that by breaking bylaws and doing whatever you feel with your property, it leads to housing/real estate prices becoming worse (that is unaffordable) for the rest of us.

The reason you can't have a year round RV parks on A1 is that is pushes up the price of the land as developers/speculators get the idea they can covert acreages into low overhead RV parks and leave the rest of the land idle and unfarmed. For younger individuals like myself who want little more than to work hard on agro land and contribute to our communities food security, non-farm use is a big issue. It really is the only reason we have an ALR.

But even besides A1 land, if you look at the airbnb debate going on right now its the same thing.... by using a residential property for commercial hotel purposes its put huge upward pressure on the rental rates of long term rental housing (and even housing prices!). But the hosts that offer them say "well there simply aren't places to live that people can easily afford so i need to supplement more mortgage like this". Its a downward slope no?

When you ignore bylaws for (albeit good) reasons, in the long run the very problems that got you into it get worse. You simply are passing the problems on to the next guy

[lightspeed]

These people make local residents lives a misery.

Rent-a-hovel.

Shut them down.

[WalterWhite]

With affordable housing being at a premium, I'd say something shocking like, "leave them alone."

There simply aren't places to live that people can easily afford. The cheapest house to rent was $1,400 in Glenrosa and the prices rose to $3,000/month. One guy wants $1895/mon for 8 months, then move on. I take the family lives here during the summer only.

I didn't even to into condo rentals. I do not know what I'd be doing if I hadn't bought when I did. Living on ALR land hoping for the best? And I'll bet some of those people sold high and are trying to hold onto as much as they can for as long as they can.

How's that for beginners?

Normally I would agree, however I'm quite familiar with this "operation" and can only say Kalvin Kuipers should have been fined for every penny he has by now. Everything about that so-called RV park was done without permits. When it was initially reported to bylaw, they simply replied "What RV park?". Nearby residents have had to endure this slum since it was built and rented out as year-round accommodation. It's people like Kuipers that made the city shut down the agri-tourism model for RV parks - something grossly in need in this area. I know of two existing facilities that are very well run and are booked pretty much two years in advance. Unfortunately the city bylaw officers once again do not enforce existing bylaws and people like Kuipers simply take advantage of the situation because there are zero consequences for their actions, and the end result is it's ruined for any future operations. One bad apple.

[dinosaur]

As well for fruit growers have limited options to supplement/generate income from the land, beside growing fruit (which may or may not sell).

I'm sorry this doesn't really make any sense to me. If someone can't sell their fruit or vegetables they need to change their business plan, grow other crops, figure it out, etc... Many established farms are doing fine. Lots of other people want the opportunity to farm that land and land is far too expensive already. There are far too many derelict orchards and orchards varieties the market does not want. If nobody wants to replant them, I do, but I'm not going to buy it for 1000000-200000$/acre or lease it for 3000$/acre because those prices can't be justified with the risks already inherent in agriculture. Every time the Province or City tampers with the ALR speculation will get worse and more farmers will leave.

[GordonH]

As well for fruit growers have limited options to supplement/generate income from the land, beside growing fruit (which may or may not sell).

I'm sorry this doesn't really make any sense to me. If someone can't sell their fruit or vegetables they need to change their business plan, grow other crops, figure it out, etc... Many established farms are doing fine. Lots of other people want the opportunity to farm that land and land is far too expensive already. There are far too many derelict orchards and orchards varieties the market does not want. If nobody wants to replant them, I do, but I'm not going to buy it for 1000000-200000$/acre or lease it for 3000$/acre because those prices can't be justified with the risks already inherent in agriculture. Every time the Province or City tampers with the ALR speculation will get worse and more farmers will leave.

Fruit, vegetables & grain farmers have limited time each year plus they depend heavily in weather conditions. To either have banner year or bust.
The farming experience I have is in dairy industry which has no real slow down time (late spring, summer & fall are busier due crops being harvested). Cows need to be milked every day of the year, along with being fed & kept clean.

[WalterWhite]

https://www.castanet.net/news/Kelowna/2 ... n-ALR-land

Further proof that CoK bylaws have no teeth, let alone the balls to enforce them. It’s because of slum-lord conditions like Kuipers has managed to maintain on this property despite numerous complaints to bylaw - and now they have the gall to apply for a permit to allow year round RV renters all in the name of doing their part to help the affordable housing issue locally. What a giant crock of bull *bleep*. It’s because of this specific property and owner that there has been complete removal of any form of licensing for anyone wanting to operate a legitimate agri-tourism RV operation. This is one bad apple that spoiled it for the rest, and having the balls to now apply for licensing is no surprise. The city should be fining this operation on a daily basis but simply refuses to enforce their own bylaws. Disgusting.

[BillJustus2]

I understand the issue hear , people seem to be upset with the idea of the whole operation, and now that he wants to make what he is doing or has been doing legal i see evryones angst. However i have also seen ALR abused in ways other then this. Someone comes in and buys a farm quoth One dwelling on it. Then after its paid for they go to the city and ask to sub divide it to sell off a piece of the orchard, which is approved and they sell it to a family member who builds a second house. This process is repeated several times until there are 4-5 homes on once was only allowed 1 home. HOW is that any different other then they are permanent structures? Now at one point in my life i lived in a Teepee on the side of one of our local mTNs i did this cause I wanted to, not because I had to, however if I did have to because of hard times or no available housing I would, and as i Canadian I have the right and freedom to a home regardless of how the public may perceive it. I'm NOT suggesting that he get off Scott free, i think there should be a fine levied and the city should enforce it and some strict code for the RV park. BUt think about it if you lost your home your job and all you had was a RV and you were comfortable living in it, who are we to tell you you cant further to that why would you?

food for thought

Section 7 of the Charter guarantees the right to right to life, liberty and security of the person. A person cannot be deprived of this right except in accordance with the principles of fundamental justice. Section 15(1) of the Charter guarantees the right to equality under the law and the right to the equal protection and equal benefit from the law.

so basically i as see it, if the city doesn't grant him the right to run the RV park yr round they are violating the rights of him and his tenants

Housing is life in Canada, with out it you will perish pretty simple

[WalterWhite]

:-X I understand the issue hear , people seem to be upset with the idea of the whole operation, and now that he wants to make what he is doing or has been doing legal i see evryones angst. However i have also seen ALR abused in ways other then this. Someone comes in and buys a farm quoth One dwelling on it. Then after its paid for they go to the city and ask to sub divide it to sell off a piece of the orchard, which is approved and they sell it to a family member who builds a second house. This process is repeated several times until there are 4-5 homes on once was only allowed 1 home. HOW is that any different other then they are permanent structures? Now at one point in my life i lived in a Teepee on the side of one of our local mTNs i did this cause I wanted to, not because I had to, however if I did have to because of hard times or no available housing I would, and as i Canadian I have the right and freedom to a home regardless of how the public may perceive it. I'm NOT suggesting that he get off Scott free, i think there should be a fine levied and the city should enforce it and some strict code for the RV park. BUt think about it if you lost your home your job and all you had was a RV and you were comfortable living in it, who are we to tell you you cant further to that why would you?

food for thought

Section 7 of the Charter guarantees the right to right to life, liberty and security of the person. A person cannot be deprived of this right except in accordance with the principles of fundamental justice. Section 15(1) of the Charter guarantees the right to equality under the law and the right to the equal protection and equal benefit from the law.

so basically i as see it, if the city doesn't grant him the right to run the RV park yr round they are violating the rights of him and his tenants

Housing is life in Canada, with out it you will perish pretty simple

Bull *bleep*. What you're basically advocating, is it's ok to break the law - then expect it to be changed to coincide with making your illegal activities legal. Brilliant. With that sort of logic, you're either one of his "tenants", or Kuiper's himself. This isn't about other ways the ALR has been abused, and it sure as hell isn't about someone's charter charter rights being violated. As far as:

I'm NOT suggesting that he get off Scott free, i think there should be a fine levied and the city should enforce it and some strict code for the RV park.

That's the whole point - there's already laws in place, complete with a structure for fines. The problem, is our limp-wristed civic bureaucrats don't do a damn thing to enforce them.

[Noisy Boater]

Is there not a long time Kelowna family who has the same last name as the mayor who pretty much did what they wanted to build the farm up disregarding pretty much every rule in the book ??

[WalterWhite]

Have to give credit where credit's due - thank you CoK council for turning Kuiper's request down.

https://www.castanet.net/edition/news-s ... htm#209851

Ironic he still plans to protest their decision to uphold current bylaws by towing not one, but three abandoned RV's from his property to park in front of city hall. Atta boy Cal.

[LTD]

I'm thinking this guy is pretty cocky he claims to have made 16k profit from 09 to 2015 or 16 and yet in that time I have personally watched a large steel shop get built there an addition put on his home a wine tasting building get built and landscaped and hes driving a new lifted duramax no wonder he needs to keep being a slum lord

[WalterWhite]

I'm thinking this guy is pretty cocky he claims to have made 16k profit from 09 to 2015 or 16 and yet in that time I have personally watched a large steel shop get built there an addition put on his home a wine tasting building get built and landscaped and hes driving a new lifted duramax no wonder he needs to keep being a slum lord

Bingo - except instead of cocky, insert derogatory term of your choice referencing intellect.