City hoping to clear up foreshore during dock rebuild
Mayor Colin Basran says he's asked the province to step in, to guide property owners as they rebuild waterfront docks and barriers.
He says in the past, people have illegally blocked the foreshore from the public, and the rebuild gives a chance to change that.
"Because the City of Kelowna has no jurisdiction for docks, fences, and walls built on crown land below the high water mark on Okanagan Lake, we rely on the provincial authorization process to approve these works. So on behalf of council, I have written to the minister responsible, which also happens to be one our local MLAs – Minister Steve Thomson – and asked for some direction on how this will work in the months ahead," he said.
"So we'll be looking for the province to give more direction and the appropriate resources on the rebuilding process. Of course, one of the things we want to see is public access protected, as new construction and repairs are made. So we've communicated this to the minister, and we'll be working with them towards that goal."
Provincial guidelines state that the foreshore should be accessible to the public, between the high and low water marks.
An exception would be homeowners who have water lots, in which case the property line extends into the lake.
