A new proposal aims to convert part of an existing commercial building into apartment housing units in Banff’s industrial compound.
The owners of Sunset Alpine are seeking a change of use from contractor services to apartment housing on the second storey of their Eagle Crescent building to make way for four one-bedroom units.
Keith Batstone, a planner with the Town of Banff, said this proposal, if approved by the municipal planning commission, will add to the housing inventory in Banff, where there is a critical housing crunch.
“There is an identified need to increase the supply and mix of housing units to meet the housing shortfall in the community that this proposal will clearly satisfy,” said Batstone.
“It’s fair to say that council is cautious about moving forward too quickly with much housing in the compound, given it is disconnected from the rest of town.”
This development permit application, which would see renovation of 2,400 square feet of commercial space into four one-bedroom apartments, was on the municipal planning commission’s agenda for a decision today (Thursday, Nov. 19).
Apartment housing is listed as discretionary in the commercial services (CS) land use district, also known as the industrial compound.
There have been two successful applications for housing in the industrial compound over the past year, but only one has been built.
Batstone said the 2,400 square feet of commercial gross floor area on the second floor, which most recently housed offices and a roofing company, will be temporarily discontinued until such time it is formally re-activated or transferred to another site.
“The Land Use Bylaw previously allowed for commercial floor area to be assigned or designated elsewhere within an existing building or on-site,” said Batstone.
“However, with the transferability of built commercial floor area now part of the bylaw, the property owner could potentially transfer the converted floor area to another site within the CS land use district.”
The proponent, Bill Squarebriggs, who is president of Sunset Alpine, could not be reached for comment by press time.
