Banff politicians have turned down a controversial suggestion to look at additional legislation to protect spectacular Rocky Mountain views when commercial properties are being redeveloped.
Town council last week voted three-three against a motion asking administration to come back with legislative options for protecting valued views like Cascade Mountain, similar to what Vancouver has done to protect views of the ocean and North Shore Mountains.
The issue of protecting important views within the community was raised by the Municipal Planning Commission earlier this year during discussion on redevelopment of the Homestead Inn on Lynx Street.
“I feel we need our own specific viewshed protection guideless, and it’s something I would like to see,” said Councillor Corrie DiManno, who sits on MPC as a council representative.
Councillor Stavros Karlos, however, argued that adding view protection legislation on top of the land use bylaw and design guidelines, including the three-storey limit, would lead to devaluation of properties.
“I absolutely agree that sightline protection is absolutely critical to the community, but I’m absolutely convinced the land use bylaw and Banff’s street grid structure ensures that all major sightlines are protected,” he said.
“In addition, I am not interested in opening up what is, absolutely, 100 per cent a can of worms. As soon you slap sightline protection over top of existing built properties, you will have devaluation discussions with property owners – absolutely.”
MPC initially asked town council to consider establishing guidelines to protect valued public views following discussion on redevelopment of the Homestead Inn. Fuji Starlight Express has a permit to build a three-storey, 63-room hotel to replace an existing 28-room hotel.
MPC granted several variances to the land use bylaw, including varying the maximum roof ridge height by an additional 0.7 metres, and front, side and rear yard setbacks. The Homestead development is being appealed.
The City of Vancouver has 27 protected view corridors to protect threatened public views, including views of the North Shore Mountains, the downtown skyline and surrounding water.
When drawn on a map, this results in long cone shapes originating in the point of view, and stretching to the area or building. If a view cone crosses near the site, the maximum building height could be less than the maximum height permitted by zoning.
In other jurisdictions, proposed buildings are also “mocked up” to analyze views.
In places such as California, story poles are used to depict the elevations and silhouette of a proposed new structure, a second-storey addition to an existing building, or any addition that may cause concerns about inappropriate bulk and mass.
They are intended to aid neighbours and decision-making bodies in many California cities in regard to their evaluation of a building application. Story poles are required by planning departments in many coastal areas and locations with view corridors.
Karlos said Banff is entirely different than Vancouver.
“When you look at the case in the city of Vancouver, those are huge buildings going up that have impacts all the way from Kitsilano down to the North Shore,” he said.
“Our design guidelines and the land use bylaw in conjunction work to protect most of the viewscapes within our community. I believe we are well protected now and into the future, and we’re effectively at the end of development here.”
Coun. Brian Standish voiced support for view protection legislation.
“I believe that establishing guidelines for protection of valued view sheds is an important tool for MPC in decision making,” he said.
Mayor Karen Sorensen said she didn’t want to add to the workload of planning and development department partway through the year, given that department’s priorities were set during 2015 service review.
Coun. Chip Olver, who also sits on MPC, said she would like administration to look into this issue and come back to council with options for guidelines during service review for 2016 later this year.
“This is a clear way to put something on the list if we want information on this,” she said.
Olver also said she did not share Karlos’ concerns about devaluation of properties.
“I don’t have the concern that Councillor Karlos has. I don’t see it going to that level,” she said.
Darren Enns, the Town of Banff’s senior planner, said planning and development plans to bring forward proposed amendments to some administrative sections of the land use bylaw, as well as Banff’s design guidelines.
“Our goal is increasing the level of clarity,” Enns said.
Councillors DiManno, Standish and Olver voted in favour of looking into additional view protection regulations, while Sorensen, Karlos and Grant Canning voted against it. Coun. Ted Christensen was absent from the vote.
