A decision to re-zone properties at the former Howard Johnson hotel site has been deferred again.
Nanaimo city council voted to push back a decision to adopt a re-zoning bylaw related to 444, 450 and 500 Comox Rd., 55 Mill St. and 1 Terminal Ave. into a comprehensive development district to allow a mixed-use development and subdivision of the land.
The proposed development includes 760 residential units in eight buildings, including two highrises, as well as a conference centre and commercial space. The zoning amendment bylaw came before council Monday, Oct. 16, after having been previously deferred following strong opposition to the re-development from Snuneymuxw First Nation this past spring.
At Monday’s meeting, Nanaimo Mayor Leonard Krog said the last time the application came before council, a letter had been received from Tom McCarthy, assistant deputy minister for the Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, asking mayor and council to defer consideration while “facilitators engaged by the province attempted to resolve Snuneymuxw First Nation opposition” to the development.
Krog said the province has suggested “that another deferral would be prudent,” though the city has also recieived correspondence from the applicant saying that “it expects its application to be approved.”
“I want to emphasize that, leaving aside this process, council has full discretion to make a decision with respect to the application and is not bound to any outcome,” the mayor said.
He went on to say he favoured deferring the decision until the Dec. 4 council meeting to seek clarification from the province on the status of the facilitation process, which he felt was “important to the community as a whole.”
There was no discussion on the motion which was carried by a unanimous vote, with Coun. Hilary Eastmure recusing herself because she’s a neighbour of the property.
READ ALSO: Snuneymuxw registers opposition as huge downtown development gets through public hearing
chris.bush@nanaimobulletin.com
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