Banff looks set to get two more bed and breakfast homes to offer visitors alternatives in accommodation.
Banff looks set to get two more bed and breakfast homes to offer visitors alternatives in accommodation.
The Town of Banff's planning and development department recommended approval of a B&B on Cougar Street and another on Otter Street, but the results of Municipal Planning Commission's meeting on Wednesday (July 8) were not available at press time.
Banffites Katrin and J.P. Middleton want to run a two-bedroom B&B out of their home on the 400 block of Cougar Street.
“As live-in owners with over 20 years of combined hospitality experience, we proposed to operate a budget-friendly accommodation targeted at families and small groups,” they wrote in a submission to the Town of Banff.
“We have carefully reviewed accommodation options within Banff National Park and feel that our proposed bed and breakfast meets the needs of the budget minded family or small group.”
B&Bs are a discretionary use in all land use districts. The municipality has capped the total number of B&Bs townsite at 65, with the number of tourist accommodation units distributed throughout various districts.
The Middleton's home lies within the Squirrel-Cougar (RSC) land use district.
There are five previously approved B&Bs in that district and a maximum of seven are allowed.
MPC was also expected to consider an application for a development permit for a B&B on the 200 block of Otter Street.
However, the size of the two proposed bedrooms is smaller than the requirement in the land use bylaw.
Keith Batstone, a planner with the Town of Banff, said the bylaw requires the minimum size of any commercial B&B accommodation unit, exclusive of closets, to be nine square metres, with no dimension less than 2.4 metres.
He said one of the proposed bedrooms is 7.6 square metres and the other is 7.8 square metres, inclusive of closet space. Both bedrooms meet the minimum dimension requirement of 2.4 metres.
“Due to the size of the bedrooms not complying with the land use bylaw, a variance is either required, or a reconfiguration of space which would increase the bedroom areas,” said Batstone.
Both proposed B&B operations must meet parking requirements on site.
“Planning and Development notes the bylaw requires that an owner must maintain a daily guest registry which includes rooms occupied and vehicle licence plate information that may be inspected by the Town in the case that a complaint is received,” Batstone said.
