Owners of a Shuswap event venue with a history of zoning-related bylaw enforcement are looking to bring the property into compliance.
At its June 19 meeting, the Columbia Shuswap Regional District (CSRD) board gave first reading to a zoning amendment application for 2280 Deep Creek Road, which currently operates as Cedar Ridge Ranch. The owners have asked to add a special regulation to the MH (medium holding) zone to allow an event venue and a seasonal private campground with 12 camping spaces and six cabins for guests attending an event on the property.
In addition to giving first reading on the amendment, the board also supported a staff recommendation to use a complex consultation process, with the proposed amendment bylaw being referred to the CSRD's environmental and protective services, Interior Health, the Township of Spallumcheen, the province and local First Nations.
The property currently includes a single detached dwelling, a 725 square metre (2,580 square-foot) accessory building referred to "by the owners as 'the Lodge' and by staff as the 'event venue' built in 2000," a workshop, two unserviced cabins (sleeping only), 12 unserviced seasonal RV camping spaces and other accessory buildings.
"The applicant would like to have the event venue, RV camping spaces and 2 unserviced cabins recognized in the zoning bylaw through a special regulation in the MH Zone," reported staff. "They are also proposing 4 additional cabins for a total of 6 cabins."
In a letter to the regional district, the owners state they are proposing to develop a seasonal campground for temporary use that would operate between March 1 and October 31.
"The campground would be rural camping similar to provincial recreation sites located in Provincial Parks where there are no individual electrical or water or sewer service connections to each campsite…," reads the letter. "The campsites would be used only by guests attending various events held at the lodge and on the property. They would be a short term stay from 1 day to 5 days."
In a report to the board, staff explained there is a "long history of bylaw enforcement regarding the event venue located on the subject property" that dates back to 2003 when bylaw enforcement responded to a complaint regarding the event venue and RV camping.
"The owners claimed that they were operating a 'guest ranch', which was a permitted use under the previous Ranchero/Deep Creek Land Use Bylaw No. 2100 in effect at that time," wrote staff, adding the term 'guest ranch' wasn't defined in the former bylaw, adding "there were no farm animals being raised on the property, nor was the property classified as farm by BC Assessment." As such, the CSRD didn't consider the property to be a ranch and therefore could not be used as a guest ranch. In 2006, the owners and the CSRD attempted to come to an agreement on what is permitted on the property. Staff said a consent order was drafted but never registered.
"It appears the owners have continued to operate Cedar Ridge Ranch as an event venue business, on and off over the years," wrote staff.
Staff's proposals to remedy the situation include text amendments to the zoning bylaw including the addition of a definition for "event" and amending the definitions for “event venue" and “private campground."
With first reading done, along with the referrals the proposed amendment will also be subject to a public hearing.
