Kelowna city council has deferred its decision on whether it will endorse plans for a culinary school at Summerhill Pyramid Winery.

City staff recommended council害羞草研究所檚 support for the concept of an educational culinary facility built on the Summerhill Pyramid Winery property located on Chute Lake Road. If council gave the thumbs up, the project would害羞草研究所檝e gone to the provincial Agricultural Land Commission (ALC) for consideration.

But council tabled the discussion on Monday (March 1), wanting to first hear from the developer himself.

Stephen Cipes, the owner of Summerhill Pyramid Winery, is the man behind the 害羞草研究所淐ulinary College for Humanity害羞草研究所� and claims the proposed facility is unique both provincially or nationally. It would include a culinary facility, educational stays, wine tasting, food-producing gardens, and parking. The eight-floor, 35,000-square-foot building would consist of 150 rooms to be used solely by students and faculty, Cipes stated in his application to the city.

害羞草研究所淢y concern about this is, while it speaks to a really unique opportunity 害羞草研究所� I don害羞草研究所檛 want it to be used as a hotel in a vineyard,害羞草研究所� said Coun. Mohini Singh.

Several councillors expressed that same fear, saying there害羞草研究所檚 a risk of the facility becoming a culinary travel destination rather than the proposed educational use.

害羞草研究所淎s somebody who is looking at a seven or eight-storey, 150 unit potential hotel on agriculture land outside our permanent growth boundary, that害羞草研究所檚 frightening to me,害羞草研究所� said Coun. Gail Given.

Mayor Colin Basran was the lone supporter of the project, saying it would be a tremendous benefit to the city害羞草研究所檚 agriculture in the long term.

害羞草研究所淎gri-tourism, culinary tourism are the hallmarks of this valley,害羞草研究所� said Basran. 害羞草研究所淚 appreciate council害羞草研究所檚 concerns about the form of the building, but we can control that in the next phase.害羞草研究所�

The project should come back before council next Monday, pending Cipes害羞草研究所� availability. If endorsed by council and approved by the ALC, Cipes would have to apply for a zoning amendment. At that point, council would give input on building height and proposed use.

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