“A hotel in Chestermere”? – This is the buzz that’s been going around the community lately, along with “Will a hotel benefit our community or will it harm it”?
Over the course of public hearings, concerns were voiced by residents concerning the hotel construction and the impact it might have on traffic, parking, noise, visibility, quality of life to the neighboring homes, the height of the building, and how that will affect neighboring homes as well as the impact on residential property values.
For those of you worried about a hotel bringing rowdiness and traffic associated with these amenities that might disturb the neighborhood, the proposed hotel does not include any restaurants, lounges, and/or pubs. It will, however, have a pool.
The development company applied to build a hotel last year and it was approved by our Chestermere Planning Commission. That approval was appealed twice and it went to the Subdivision and Development Appeal Board (SDAB). The SDAB meeting was advertised and people had a chance to provide their opinion about the application to the Board. The SDAB approved it on October 30, 2013 with some conditions that must be followed during or after hotel construction.
The next step for development is for the applicant to apply for building permits. Upon receiving the permits, they can begin construction. They have applied for the permits and have a year to begin construction on the building. They can apply for an extension if necessary.
The proposed hotel location will be at 200 Marina Drive.
In regards to traffic and congestion, the supporters of the hotel said there was a recommendation to council in the 2014 budget to add a set of lights at the intersection of Marina Drive and Chestermere Blvd, which they say will alleviate this concern.
Overall the people of Chestermere have no say in whether the hotel is built or not since the application was approved but it is now up to our community to bear through its construction and suggest ways to improve the surroundings and make the hotel a welcome part of our community.
