The District of Lake Country is proposing a boundary adjustment that transfers five parcels of land from the City of Kelowna to the District of Lake Country. The properties to be transferred include two lots previously owned by BC Tree Fruits located at 9595 Bottom Wood Lake Road and 672 Beaver Lake Road as well as 3 portions of the rail trail, as shown outlined on the image.
Council may proceed with the boundary adjustment unless at least 10% of the eligible electors in the District of Lake Country submit an Elector Response Form opposing the boundary adjustment. The number of responses required to prevent the boundary adjustment, without first holding a referendum, is 1,412 which is 10% of the eligible electors of Lake Country. A report on how the number of eligible electors was determined can be requested by emailing admin@lakecountry.bc.ca. The deadline for submitting Elector Response Forms is 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 22, 2025.
You only need to submit an Elector Response Form if you are opposed to the boundary adjustment.
What is the proposal?
The two private parcels are part of a four-parcel redevelopment that straddles the City of Kelowna and District of Lake Country boundary but receive services and access from the District. Having the entire site within the District will allow the District to plan a cohesive community on the site, and to easily recover the costs of servicing the property and future residents of the development.
The Okanagan Rail Trail parcels to be transferred will clarify the jurisdiction and ensure the District owns and is responsible for the maintenance of the trail along its boundary south to Beaver Lake Road.
What are the subject properties proposed to be transferred to the District?
What are the financial implications?
The private parcels to be added to Lake Country have been rezoned to residential use for the West Point Development. The assessed value based on industrial use was $3.785 million and based on residential tax rates, the properties will provide an additional $41,490 in taxes to the District of Lake Country (2024 tax rates).
The District will be required to maintain the additional 457 linear metres of the Rail Trail added to Lake Country which will cost approximately $4,000 per year and will also update the added section to the District’s existing standards at a one-time investment of approximately $23,000. There are no tax increases proposed as part of these costs.
Who can submit a form?
All eligible electors in the District of Lake Country are entitled to sign an Elector Response Form. There are two types of eligible electors, Resident Elector and Non-Resident Property Elector (NRPE). A NRPE is an individual that owns property in Lake Country but lives somewhere else in BC. Only one person can vote for the property in Lake Country and if there is more than one person on title, a majority of the other persons on title must provide written consent for giving the person signing the authority to do so. If a corporation owns all or part of a property, no one may submit a Form for that property.
Both a Resident Elector and NRPE Electors must:
- Be 18 years of age or older;
- Be a Canadian citizen;
- Be a resident in BC for at least six months;
- Not be disqualified from voting in a local election or otherwise disqualified by law; and
- Provide their name and address (or address of the property they are voting for) on the Form.
A resident elector must Live in Lake Country. A NRPE must not live in Lake Country but must have owned property in Lake Country for at least 30 days.
Elector Response Forms:
- will only be accepted if they are on the form approved by Council or an accurate photocopy;
- are available at the Municipal Hall, or on the District’s website [PDF/1.2MB];
- can be dropped off at the Municipal Hall, faxed, mailed or emailed;
- if submitted by email, must be sent to admin@lakecountry.bc.ca as a pdf or jpg;
- must contain a handwritten signature or mark indicating a signature.
Personal information will not be shared with anyone other than the Corporate Officer, or those designated by the Corporate Officer.
Elector Response Form [PDF/1.2MB]
More information
Reports to Council on the multi-family development (Westpoint) can be found on the Council Meeting Calendar on November 5, 2024 with a report to Kelowna on the same date. A report to Council outlining the boundary adjustment can be found on the September 3, 2024 meeting and a report about this Alternative Approval Process was presented on March 4, 2025. You can also request copies of the reports by emailing admin@lakecountry.bc.ca.
OPEN HOUSE
An open house will be held at the Municipal Hall on Thursday, April 3, 2025 from 4:30pm - 7pm
Phone: 250-766-5650
Facsimile: 250-766-0116
Email: admin@lakecountry.bc.ca