The owners of Arrowhead RV Park in Île-des-Chênes are requesting adjustments to the phase two plans for the Oak River Meadow residential development.
Lise Durand Bale and Bruce Bale addressed the Ritchot council during a May 20 public meeting to request a buffer zone along their property line, according to an article by Penticton Herald.
The Bales stated they have unsuccessfully raised these concerns with the developer on multiple occasions. Lise Bale told the council, “We fully support thoughtful growth in our community.”
She outlined their stance on the zoning issue, stating, “Our concern is that, without appropriate protections and transition measures, you are placing two very different land uses directly beside each other in a way that creates avoidable long-term conflict.”
Brennan Johnson of Landmark Planning and Design and a representative from Terracon Development attended the meeting to seek approval for the initial road construction of the project’s second phase.
The developers plan to construct 11 single-family homes along the shared property line with the RV park.
Johnson noted that the developers initially considered placing multi-family housing next to the park.
“We did contemplate multi-family abutting the Arrowhead RV Park for a few different reasons,” Johnson told the council.
He explained the reasoning behind that initial concept, stating, “You can typically accommodate greater setbacks, there’s higher prescriptions for landscaping and buffering, and there’s different ways that you can orient parking.”
The designers ultimately chose single-family dwellings to reduce the number of people living directly adjacent to the park.
Johnson emphasized the size of these specific properties, telling the council, “The [single-family] lots themselves feature a depth of 145 feet.”
He elaborated on the design choices for the area, stating, “It’s the deepest being proposed throughout the entire phase two area.
For connectivity, a proposed pathway network was designed to provide a connection to the Arrowhead RV Park so that, if they choose, their tenants or customers could access that pathway.”
Johnson offered to negotiate a 25-foot buffer zone at the rear of the residential lots that would prohibit the construction of outbuildings.
When combined with a 20-foot house setback, this creates a 45-foot physical gap between the homes and the RV park.
The developer also expressed willingness to let the rural municipality assume ownership and management of the 25-foot buffer as a public reserve.
However, the Bales are requesting a 50-foot buffer between property lines, alongside the installation of additional trees and an eight-foot fence.
Lise Bale expressed concern that without these additions, new homeowners might complain about the noises and activities associated with the existing business.
“Future residents of Oak River Meadow will expect a more private and quiet residential environment,” she said.
She emphasized the potential for future disputes, adding, “Without proper separation, this interface is likely to generate ongoing conflicts and negatively affect both our guests’ experience and the quality of life of future residents.”
Lise Bale suggested that if a fence is not feasible, the developer could relocate a retention pond to the buffer zone and surround it with vegetation to serve as a public green space.
Johnson responded that retention ponds serve specific drainage functions and that green spaces are centralized for community access.
A local resident addressed the council to support the creation of a public reserve space in the buffer zone to add a forest to the urban canopy.
The resident said, “The benefits to humans who directly or indirectly interact with trees—for aesthetic reasons, recreational reasons, and restorative value—are already being talked about in terms of mental health and wellness.”
The developer noted that hundreds of trees are planned throughout the development to increase the area’s urban canopy.
Phase two of the Oak River Meadow project includes 351 new residential lots, consisting of 165 single-family dwellings and 182 two-family units, along with 10.5 acres of green space.
High-density housing and commercial spaces are planned on both sides of Old Highway 59, while an educational component is being considered directly across from Arrowhead RV Park.
The developer told the council, “We have been in conversations with DSFM about the concept of a new school on potentially a 10-acre site.”
To facilitate this potential addition to the neighborhood, the developer added, “We would be willing to hold back a parcel for a period of five years to ensure that we can have dialogue for the acquisition of a school.”
Ritchot council members Jason Bodnarchuk and Janine Boulanger stated the Bales’ points require further review.
Councillor Shane Pelletier requested that the council table the final decision on the matter until June 17.
For the outdoor hospitality industry, this zoning dispute highlights the ongoing challenges RV park owners face as residential developments encroach on established campground properties.