News A4

_.____—™*Review —_ Wednesday, April 17,1991 —_
Multi-million dollar hotel projects could change face of Sidney *

by Girard Hengen
The Review

Sidney’s advisory planning
commission (APC) will consider
two multi-million dollar hotel pro-
jects which would change the face
of the town’s waterfront.

Under the microscope are a
proposed new seven-storey com-
plex planned by the Port Sidney
Development Corp. for land beside
the Sidney Museum, and a three-
Storey addition and renovation to
the Hotel Sidney.

The developments came before
Town council on April 8, and were
referred to the APC.

Ald. Don Amos, council liaison
on the APC, said last week both
projects exceed the town’s height
regulations for the area and could
change the small-town character of
Sidney.

“Tf you allow one (taller build-
ing), then you're really going to be

snowballed” with requests for
more, he said.

That’s something the APC will
have to bear in mind as it deliber-
ates on the projects, he said.

According to the minutes of the
March 19 APC meeting, which
were presented to council by
Amos, Port Sidney Development
iS proposing a seven-storey struc-
ture with an additional two stories
of underground parking.

The building is terraced and
stepped back on the east, south
and north sides. It consists of 104
rooms, retail space, a coffee shop,
bistro bar, lounge, restaurant and
conference facilities.

According to the APC minutes,
commission members thought the
complex would be “a positive
asset for Sidney,” a good land use
for the site and “would greatly
enhance the downtown core and
would provide a real people-place

Resolution supports farmers in
bid for lost crop compensation

Central Saanich endorsed local
farmers’ request for the right to
grow nematode resistant potatoes
and is calling on senior govern-
ments to give farmers compensa-
tion if they are not allowed to do
SO.

“Tf the ban is to continue then
council endorse the effected grow-
ers’ expectation of fair compensa-
tion from senior governments for
the loss of revenue they will sus-
tain in the future,” a resolution
approved Monday said.

The resolution is to be forward-
ed to all member municipalities of
the Capital Regional District for
review and consideration of

endorsement.

Council also endorsed the far-
mers’ request from senior govern-
ment for further compensation
“for their lack of viable crops over
the past nine years.”

The federal government
imposed a ban on the growing of
potatoes and tomatoes after the
nematode, a round worm that
attacks plant roots, was apparently
discovered in plants coming from
the Central Saanich area in 1982.

Last year the federal government
indicated its intention to lift the
ban but subsequently reversed its
decision because of marketing pre-
ssures.

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type area.”

Amos said last week the pro-
posal is the third made by the
company to date, and while it
breaches the height bylaw, it is a

better design than the previous
two.

However, during the April 8
council meeting he relayed the
APC’s concems “on the impact of
such a mass and what it would
make of Sidney,”

He said the commission is con-
cerned an endorsement of the
proposal could set a precedent and
create an expectation among deve-
lopers that higher buildings are
acceptable for the waterfront.

“The implications are more
than just this one site.”

While Port Sidney Develop-
ment wants to build from scratch,
Hotel Sidney is looking to add to
and enhance its facilities.

“We will be putting a new roof
on the hotel, and sprucing every-
thing up,” said owner Denis
Paquette, who is applying to
amend the Hotel’s development
permit.

He said the design “will be

more in tune with a rural setting. It
should fit the town better” than an
earlier, more ambitious condomin-
ium/hotel concept he had
explored.

The proposed three-storey addi-
tion and new roof capping the old
building is slightly over height
restrictions, but Paquette said the
height proposed suits the build-
ing’s nautical design.

“That's something the APC will
have to advise us on.”

The addition would add 70 new

HOUSE OF RUSSELL

rooms, a 200-seat conference
room with views of the airport and
water on either side, a beer and
wine boutique plus a kayak boa-
thouse. Existing facilities would
be upgraded substantially.

The conference room would be
located on the top floor, while the
new rooms would be added south-
east of the existing hotel, parallel
to Bevan Avenue.

Paquette hopes he can get
approval in time to begin construc-
tion in the fall, so that the addition
is complete before next summer.

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