Banff’s planning and development department is recommending approval of new redevelopment plans for the Homestead Inn, which now includes two residential apartment units.
The municipal planning commission is expected to hear Fuji Starlight Express’ development permit application next Tuesday (Dec. 13) at 9 a.m. Banff’s development appeal board rejected Fuji’s previously approved redevelopment proposal in 2015.
The ownership company, which also owns nearby Banff Park Lodge and Bow View Lodge, wants to tear down the existing 28-room hotel on Lynx Street to make way for a new 71-room hotel, with the addition of two residential apartment units.
Town planners say the new application for the Homestead redevelopment, which falls within both the CA (commercial accommodation) and CD (commercial downtown) districts, addresses most of the DAB’s concerns.
Senior planner Darren Enns said the new application proposes residential development above the second storey in the CD land use district, noting the DAB ruled development above the second storey in the CD district could not be for commercial purposes based on Banff National Park’s management plan. That clause does not apply to the CA district.
“Both Parks Canada and the Town of Banff are of the opinion that the current proposal complies with the Banff National Park Management Plan,” said Enns.
Secondly, there was much controversy surrounding the pedestrian walkway in the previous proposal, which would have cut through the new hotel’s lobby. The DAB ruled it didn’t meet Banff’s design guidelines.
Enns said this time a five-metre exterior pedestrian pathway has been proposed between Melissa’s and the Homestead.
“Intended as a continuation of the existing Bison Courtyard pedestrian network, this proposal creates a continuous pedestrian corridor from Banff Park Lodge to Bear Street,” he said.
“The proposed walkway not only creates an important and obvious improvement to the pedestrian realm, it also allows for the historically ranked Melissa’s restaurant dining room to have much greater prominence and presence along Lynx Street.”
To make way for the development of the new hotel, Fuji is required to address commercial growth management regulations, given Banff is subject to a commercial development cap.
Development rights for commercial properties in the Banff townsite are a combination of the existing building area, plus any commercial lottery allotments received. Development footage can also be transferred from other properties.
The existing 28-room hotel has a gross floor area of 981 square metres, but owners are seeking MPC’s approval to transfer commercial space from other properties to make up what is needed for the new hotel to meet growth regulations.
Fuji already has development space secured from the commercial lottery, as well as a previous transfer. The company wants to transfer a chunk of commercial footage of 690 sq. m. attached to Bow View Lodge that’s not being used there.
In addition, the company wants to demolish 34 sq. m. from the Melissa’s Restaurant building, which can be applied to the new hotel.
Fuji recently purchased Melissa’s Restaurant, and is also seeking to do interior and exterior renovations at this historically significant property.
