Northwest Community Futures has received the go-ahead to develop a two-storey building at 504 Frontier Way.
Council voted 5-2 to turn down an administration recommendation to deny Northwest Community Future's discretionary use application to build at that site, located in the C-3 commercial zone.
By doing so, council essentially approved Community Futures' application and the proposed conference centre/offices will be able to go ahead. Their proposed building is next to Great Canadian Oil Change across from Frontier Mall.
The proposed development became part of a larger debate at council about whether or not office buildings should be allowed outside of the downtown core, the traditional location for office and administration buildings, or in the C-3 zone usually reserved for retailers.
At a special informational meeting in August, City Planner Tim LaFreniere expressed concern that allowing offices into the C-3 zone would become "another decision at which those uses which define downtown become watered down throughout the community, and all business districts begin looking the same, no matter where you go anywhere in the community."
The Downtown Merchants Association had supported administration's position. In an Aug. 27 letter, spokesperson Rhonda Shepherd called for the denial of Community Futures's application and for maintaining the current zoning policies.
"Declining this request will not only prevent further disintegration and business exodus of our downtown core, but will also show our community and surrounding areas that city council is indeed routing for the growth and revitalization of a part of our city so many have given up on," Shepherd stated.
However, most city councillors came around to the view that the proposed development in the C-3 was a fit for the neighbourhood adjacent to Frontier Mall.
At Monday's meeting, in response to a question from Councillor Brad Pattinson, LaFreniere confirmed that Frontier Mall's land next door was zoned differently to allow a commercial shopping centre, including offices. When Pattinson asked if Frontier Mall could build stand-alone offices on their own property, LaFreniere responded, "yes they could."
That response seemed enough to satisfy most councillors, who voted 5-2 against administration's recommendation and for Community Futures' application. Both Mayor Ian Hamilton and Councillor Ron Crush voted in the minority.
In talking to reporters after the meeting, Councillor Don Buglas said it was his view that Community Futures would be a good fit for the area and for its customers, despite its location in a C-3 zone.
"I looked at the zoning aspect of it all and I considered the neighbours in the area, and what would they think of having Community Futures as their neighbour in the area there," said Buglas. "In that case, with the neighbours that were there, it seems to be a fit."
