ALC questions large new Delta, BC farm barn
The ALC has expressed concern about the size and design of the structure and the amount of fill, as well as questioned the structure’s necessity as a farm building
It’s a large structure on a farm that many drive by on their way to and from Tsawwassen and Ladner, raising many questions about its intended purpose.
Delta council at its May 26th regular meeting agreed with a staff recommendation to forward to the Agricultural Land Commission (ALC) a non-farm use application regarding a building under construction at 2601 56 St.
While council is not stating a position on the application, the large new structure in the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) is currently under construction but is already the subject of an ALC enforcement action, and ALC staff advised the owners that an ALC decision is required for the building and associated fill.
Last year, the city issued a building permit to construct an 8,934-square-foot u-shaped barn with a central courtyard in the northwest corner of the site.
The application indicated that the barn was required for storage of farm vehicles, equipment and supplies.
Based on the application drawings, the area that required backfill was limited to the building footprint, a staff report notes.
Last fall, ALC Compliance and Enforcement issued a stop work order for the property, saying that, based on the size and design of the building, the ALC considered the building may be a commercial structure rather than a farm structure.
The ALC also identified that fill amounts greater than 10,764-square-feet were placed on site without approval.
At the time of building permit application, Delta staff reviewed the proposal and considered that it met all relevant zoning, building code and ALC requirements.
A Notice of Intent (NOI) or Soil/Fill Use application to the ALC was not considered needed at that time because of the size of the proposed footprint and the owners submitted that no additional materials were needed to be brought on to the property to construct the building.
The owners are now requesting permission from the ALC to finish construction of the barn and keep the structure for farm purposes.
In support of their request, the owners have submitted a field inventory detailing the operations of BKS Enterprises, which includes 34 owned and leased agricultural properties in the Lower Mainland, totalling 247 hectares (611 acres) of blueberries.
Lists detailing 59 pieces of machinery and 37 vehicles owned by BKS Enterprises have also been provided, the report notes, adding that the owners field inventory identifies nine parcels in Delta totalling 131 hectares (324 acres) owned or leased by BKS Enterprises.
The documents do not provide a breakdown of which equipment is used or stored on which site.
The owners indicated that several pieces of equipment are currently stored in a fabric tent structure on site, or stored on other properties in the region, but would be moved to the barn for secure storage in the future.
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