Neighbouring protest has uprooted plans for additional housing on a Lavington farm.
Owners of a Learmouth Road property had hoped to build a secondary residence on the 10-acre agricultural lot. There is currently an apple orchard and existing farm worker housing on site, but the owners had applied to build another house so that they could live on site.
“Currently they are living in the city and commuting,” said Michael Reiley, Coldstream’s director of development services. “They would like to live on the site and would be constructing a home for themselves.”
But several neighbours voiced their concerns at Coldstream council Tuesday about the existing rental home, as well as a neighbouring lot which is apparently also owned by the applicants.
“They have been rentals that have already been a bane to our neighbourhood,” said neighbour Lee Lumb, who claims that the renters are not farm workers.
Edith Thoreson questioned how Coldstream would enforce the designation of farm worker use only in the existing home if the application was approved.
“There’s nothing to ensure they actually live in that house,” said Coun. Pat Cochrane. “They could build it and then rent it out.”
The lot size also does not currently allow for an accessory employee residential use, as it is half the allowable 19.77 acres.
With all of this in mind, Coldstream council denied the application at its meeting Tuesday evening.
“I came in here thinking it was not a hard item to support however what I’ve heard does raise a few flags,” said Coun. Peter McClean.