The developer of Spring Creek Mountain Village is hoping to change its area redevelopment plan to allow for a higher roof on a proposed hotel and conference centre planned for the subdivision.
Developer Frank Kernick submitted the application to change the area’s ARP and amend the municipality’s Land Use Bylaw to allow for the height change as well as changes to the urban design of the area to allow retail spaces to front inside the hotel rather than the street.
Development planner Patrick Sorfleet detailed the proposed changes to council at its Sept. 15 meeting and officials passed first reading and scheduled a public hearing on the bylaw changes for Oct. 13 at 6 p.m. at the Civic Centre.
Sorfleet said the changes would allow for buildings that are larger than currently permitted and the applicant stated the height is required to accommodate the maximum number of visitor accommodation units contemplated in the area through the ARP – 200.
“Part of the applicant’s rationale for the height change includes floor to ceiling heights,” he said, referring to first floor commercial space specifically. “A four metre ground floor does appear to be a good approach for commercial space. The other portion is the roof itself.”
“The applicant has stated under the current land use they are permitted up to 200 units, but they do not believe they can build those units and add a conference centre in that volume.”
A four-metre high ground floor and three-metre high ceilings for three other floors is in addition to the fact the developer would like to put a real roof on the hotel building, as opposed to a roof that is only visible from the front and flattens out in the middle.
Having an eave to peak roof, said Sorfleet, increases roof height, as the district requires a minimum 8:12 roof pitch.
All together, the changes result in an increased roof height in a number of locations for the overall hotel and conference centre development.
Sorfleet said the changes will have an effect on views from adjacent properties and presented images to illustrate the change.
While council passed first reading and set a public hearing date, Mayor John Borrowman expressed reservations about increasing roof heights given the community sentiment about the issue when SCMV’s ARP was first passed in 2004.
“I’m still not solid on the need to increase the height, but I am happy to hear from the public in regards to that,” he said. “I remember significant public pushback and angst when this was initially approved and we were given some assurance the heights would be adequate to build the 200 room property and conference centre.”
Coun. Joanna McCallum declared a conflict of interest in the application and was not part of the vote.
Changes to the bylaw also extend to urban design requirements and the fact the developer is proposing to have an internal arcade, as well as a sidewalk immediately adjacent to the exterior street that results in two changes.
One is to the building setback and articulation from the front of property line and the second is allowing retail units to front onto an interior arcade rather than the street, said Sorfleet.
“One of the rationales that was put forward by the applicant is that retail and commercial spaces in the hotel are targeted towards guests and the intention is that they do not have to put their coats on and go outside,” he said. “If there is an arcade, a little less articulation can be advantageous to make the building itself more relevant. It does not seem unreasonable to see that retail is targeted to hotel guests.”
Keeping guests inside is also behind another change. SCMV is proposing a tunnel and a bridge over the road connecting the hotel buildings to each other, which would also require a change to the bylaws, which were originally passed in 2004.
Sorfleet said the bridge and tunnel would connect the three buildings that would comprise the hotel and convention centre development.
The substantial commercial development, valued at $50 million, would increase the community’s commercial assessment by 6.4 per cent.
While the amount of commercial property in Canmore that can be taxed will increase with the development of the hotel, the increased roof height would not increase the assessed value of the property confirmed Sorfleet.
“With respect to assessment … it is based on revenue potential of the property,” he said.
