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We can do better, Kelowna mayor says in defeating hotel project

We can do better, Kelowna mayor says in defeating hotel project | iNFOnews.ca
Artist rendering of proposed hotels. Contributed

KELOWNA – Mayor Colin Basran says Kelowna is in a sweet spot right now and doesn't need to be afraid to say no to developers who don’t want to follow guidelines.

“I think we can be asking for a little bit more from developers,” Basran says. “I don’t want to approve development at all costs. I don’t want to just to do it the same as other sites in the city have in the past or for the sake of development. I can’t in my heart support this. I think we can do better.”

With that statement, Basran lead council to defeat an application by Coastal Hollypark Properties Ltd. seeking to construct two six-story hotels on a site at the corner of Highway 97 and Highway 33.

Planning staff had recommended against the project because the developer insisted on placing the buildings as far away from the highways as possible, with a “sea of parking” fronting on the busy intersection.

The developer cited noise and the comfort of guests plus exacting design standards from franchisor Marriott Hotels, which they say has already indicated that placing the hotels close to the highway would be a deal-breaker.

Coun. Brad Sieben disagreed with Basran, insisting the hotels would not get built unless council acceded to their noise concerns.

“This is private money flying an international flag with exacting standards. I think the design is good,” Sieben said. “This is not the keystone site to die on a hill for.”

Coun. Gail Given said the site will always be “auto-centric” given its location at the intersection of two provincial highways but it didn’t sway other councillors who fell in behind Basran to defeat the application for a form and character development permit.

Defeat of the application means the developer must revise the plan before appearing again before council.

To contact a reporter for this story, email John McDonald or call 250-808-0143 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

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John McDonald

By John McDonald

John began life as a journalist through the Other Press, the independent student newspaper for Douglas College in New Westminster. The fluid nature of student journalism meant he was soon running the place, learning on the fly how to publish a newspaper.

It wasn’t until he moved to Kelowna he broke into the mainstream media, working for Okanagan Sunday, then the Kelowna Daily Courier and Okanagan Saturday doing news graphics and page layout. He carried on with the Kelowna Capital News, covering health and education while also working on special projects, including the design and launch of a mass market daily newspaper. After 12 years there, John rejoined the Kelowna Daily Courier as editor of the Westside Weekly, directing news coverage as the Westside became West Kelowna.

But digital media beckoned and John joined Kelowna.com as assistant editor and reporter, riding the start-up as it at first soared then went down in flames. Now John is turning dirt as city hall reporter for iNFOnews.ca where he brings his long experience to bear on the civic issues of the day.

If you have a story you think people should know about, email John at jmcdonald@infonews.ca

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