A special meeting of Innisfil town council will be held tonight to to consider a zoning-bylaw amendment under the Planning Act from the Friday Harbour Resort Association to move the location of a proposed six-storey hotel.
The meeting is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. The Friday Harbour Resort Association was formerly known as the Big Bay Point Resort Association.
The Big Bay Point Resort Secondary Plan set out phasing for construction of the resort. Phase 1, which is now completed, included construction of a golf course and club house, marina, nature preserve, and 12.6 kilometres of trails and boardwalks.
Phase 2, which is now underway, was to include construction of 12,770 square metres of retail and commercial space, 17,400 sq. m. of indoor and outdoor recreational facility space, 1,350 residential units, and amenities that include a minimum of 200 hotel rooms, and a conference facility.
So far, building permits have been issued for 1,190 of the planned residential units and another 60 units are planned – leaving 100 units still to be constructed.
Development of a short-term rental policy and an amenities master plan are also to be part of Phase 2.
The zoning-bylaw amendment would not only shift the location of the hotel from the west to the east side of the marina basin, but also add a 250 ‘Sunseeker’ Residential building on the former hotel site, bringing the total number of residential units in Phase 2 up to 1,500.
The application seeks a rezoning in order to move the hotel from Site A to Site B (see diagram) where there are plans for a hotel of up to six storeys in height and a five-storey hotel/residential building.
Site A would then be developed as the new 250-unit residential building, two to six storeys in height.
Studies suggest there would be no negative impacts on natural heritage or water quality, and no impact on existing wells. The Lake Simcoe Protection Plan does not apply as the resort approvals pre-date the policy.
Approximately 800 homes in the Big Bay Point area were notified of tonight’s planning meeting, which will be live-streamed on the town’s YouTube channel. To participate, contact [email protected] or call 705-436-3740 ext. 2402.
A number of comments have already been received from the public, including concerns over the proposed height of the hotel building, light pollution and impact on lifestyle, as well as increased traffic and speeding on Big Bay Point Road.
The town staff report, while noting there is flexibility within the secondary plan to accommodate the increase in the number of units in Phase 2, expressed concern over the impact of the relocation, traffic management, and especially the timeline for construction of the hotel.
“There has been no commitment to deliver on a traditional hotel or large-format conference facility space in the near future,” says the report, emphasizing that despite COVID, staff believe the hotel and associated amenities are “critical elements” of the resort.
No decision will be made on the application Wednesday night. The meeting is being held only to present the application and hear public comments. A recommendation to council will be made at a later date.
Friday Harbour Resort has already gone through at least 10 zoning-bylaw amendments, for everything from the number of residential units to accommodation of sufficient parking. A recent amendment saw the removal of the non-permanent occupancy policy from the secondary plan.
To see the meeting's agenda, click here.
