An Okanagan Similkameen regional district director won’t be kicked out of her tiny home in Naramata after other directors voted to approve a temporary permit on Jan. 16.
Director Adrienne Fedrigo, who recused herself over the issue, was the latest resident of the RDOS to apply for a temporary use permit to use a recreational vehicle as an accessory residence.
RDOS staff had recommended the application be rejected due to concerns over the lack of a sewer or septic connection to the tiny home, further “rural sprawl” of quasi-residential uses in rural areas through RVs, and a risk of losing Okanagan Water Basin Board grant funding by failing to meet their one-hectare policy.
The one-hectare policy is represented in the RDOS’ zoning bylaw by prohibiting accessory dwellings on properties that are less than one hectare in size, unless they are connected to a community sewer system.
The application set off a lengthy debate among members of the RDOS board, particularly over worries about setting a precedent without establishing a policy through public consultation.
Director Riley Gettens, who represents West Bench, noted that the board’s handling of six previous similar applications over the previous eight months had been inconsistent, including one that was in the Greater West Bench Area that was initially approved before the approval was rescinded.
“In my opinion, I’m having a really hard time coming up with the situation that we would say no to,” said Gettens. “We disregarded hazard land, water scarcity, modifications of plywood and wood stoves and now perhaps a one-hectare policy. So that makes me nervous about what message we’re sending to citizens.”
Gettens said that residents in her electoral area had made it clear that there was no support for residential use of RVs, and that she had also received calls from residents in Naramata on the subject.
“I don’t want to see anybody losing their home and this is a really awful and awkward conversation to have because it’s about a colleague,” said Gettens. “I wouldn’t say three years without any conditions. This is a big change is my point, it’s a big change and we don’t have any policy.
“We don’t have any guidelines on how this is gonna look throughout the region. We haven’t asked the citizens and I think that’s the wrong approach. I’m not disagreeing that RVs have a role, but we need to have a discussion.”
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RDOS staff noted that the area had previously seen other temporary use permits issued for the residential use of RVs in Naramata, and that as always the board has discretion with each application that comes before them.
Other directors expressed particular concerns over the OBWB’s one-hectare policy and the risks to grant funding if it wasn’t followed.
“While I’m supportive of tiny homes, the fact that this is on a small property and may endanger funding troubles me,” said RDOS Chair Mark Pendergraft. “I’m not sure I can support it on that basis alone.”
“For me, RVs, whether they’re tiny homes or not, what I want to see is them hooked into sewer power and water, then I can live with it,” said Okanagan Falls director Matt Taylor. “But if it’s a temporary holding tank that doesn’t fit my box.”
Though he did not vote on the matter, Princeton Mayor and RDOS director Spencer Coyne noted that tiny houses had been brought up with affordable housing, and that there had not been any letters opposing the project from residents.
“It’s on holding tanks, it’s got a water meter and it’s in Naramata where we’ve been approving things like this time and time again,” said Coyne. “The community didn’t come out and say anything negative about this and I don’t understand the pushback from the board.”
Director Subrina Monteith noted that the TUP process does incorporate public feedback, and that there had been no responses provided to the RDOS.
“There’s no feedback, I looked for the feedback,” said Monteith. “The fact that there isn’t any says that the community obviously palates what’s there. I can support it because the community is supporting it.”
Staff did state that the application was the result of a bylaw complaint being filed about the tiny home.
In the end it was directors Gettens, Taylor and Pendergraft who opposed approving the application, with the other six rural directors voting their support.