Jasper is officially running out of commercial space.
On Feb. 1 Parks Canada suspended making any more decisions on future commercial development proposals until it can determine the fairest and most equitable process to allocate the remaining floor area.
The suspension will remain in effect until June 1.
According to Parks Canada, there is only 3.8 per cent or about 350 square metres that can still be developed under the town鈥檚 current commercial cap limit.
鈥淭he Canada National Parks Act requires that land use plans for communities located within the boundaries of a national park include a clear delineation of the commercial zones in the community, accompanied by a maximum commercial floor space limit and a strategy for managing growth,鈥� wrote Steve Young, a communications officer with Parks Canada.
鈥淭o limit the impacts of the town on the surrounding park environment, and to respect the community鈥檚 desire to maintain Jasper鈥檚 small-town character, the Jasper Community Sustainability Plan caps the amount of commercial floor area for development at 9,290 square metres.鈥�
According to Parks, 52 per cent of that allowable commercial floor area has already been developed (4,878.62 metres). Another 44 percent, or 4,061.80 square metres, has been allocated, but not developed at this time. That leaves 3.8 percent, or 349.58 square metres, that can still be developed under the current cap.
Limits on commercial development were established in 2001 when Jasper officially became a municipality. At that time the municipality and Parks Canada adopted the Jasper Community Land Use Plan.
The plan was replaced in 2011 by the Jasper Community Sustainability Plan.
The news comes weeks after the Planning and Development Advisory Committee (PDAC) conditionally approved a plan to build a new hotel on the site of the old Esso gas station, beside the Sawridge Inn and Conference Centre.
The proponents of the project, Jas-Day Investments Ltd, which owns all six Mountain Park Lodges (MPL) properties, plans to build a 54-unit commercial hotel and a 50-unit staff accommodation at 78 Connaught Drive.
According to PDAC鈥檚 decision, the conditional approval to rezone the gas station to a tourist commercial district is contingent on the proponent building both the hotel and the staff accommodation at the same time.
Construct of the hotel began in late February.
Paul Clarke
[email protected]
