By Korie Marshall
Valemount Council has approved a Development Permit for a new restaurant at the Rocky Inn RV Park on the highway frontage road.
The building used to house a swimming pool and squash court, neither of which has been used for some time, the council report says. The current orange and brown structure is visible to Highway 5, and close to the village entrance sign, and is part of an area deemed important to ensuring visitors have a good visual impression of the village. As such, the proponent must ensure the new building complies with the Village’s design standards.
The Village’s Official Community Plan designates two areas where a good visual impression is important, and requires any development or changes to the exterior of buildings be approved by Council – one is the highway frontage, including the hotel district, and the other is downtown. The design guidelines are not firm requirements, but give Council an opportunity to have a say in the exterior styles, finishes, parking and landscaping of developments in those areas.
Only exterior visual qualities like building colors and materials, parking layout and landscaping for visual effect are currently addressed in Valemount’s development permit areas. No consultation with the public is required.
The proponent is planning to renovate the existing building into a restaurant with living quarters above. The proposal indicates a cream color for the exterior, a cranberry red roof and lines similar to the Visitor Centre, and wood frames around doors and windows, all of which are supported in the design guidelines.
Council approved the permit for the Rocky Inn restaurant with the condition that all colours match those listed in the design guidelines.
