Onni Group has accepted city council’s demand of $5.5 million in amenity contributions in exchange for rezoning the Steveston boardwalk, but the company’s ambiguous hotel proposal has made councillors hesitant.
During Tuesday’s general purposes committee meeting, Onni’s representative, Chris Evans, said the company would pay $5.5 million in amenity contributions, as requested by council last December, to have the Imperial Landing waterfront buildings rezoned from maritime to commercial use.
However, Onni’s application was referred back to staff because a number of councillors had issues with the company’s proposed operating model for the hotel on the land.
Unlike conventional hotels which have permanent staff on-site, Onni had proposed a remote operation model, wherein customers would arrange a way to gain access to their room using a barcode or another method.
“Councillors had some concerns about the operation model, feeling that there could be a lack of supervision of the site,” said Ted Townsend, spokesperson for the City of Richmond.
He added that councillors wanted some legal commitments from Onni about how the hotel would be operated, but Onni declined to have it put into a covenant.
“Our staff have been directed to look at whatever other legal ways there are to get some guarantees around how the hotel would be operated,” said Townsend.
The staff’s updated report will be reviewed at a special committee meeting next Monday afternoon, according to Townsend. Councillors will then decide if the proposal will be assessed at the following council meeting.
“The special meeting was arranged because councillors are trying to get more information in a way that doesn’t hold up the process,” said Townsend.
Resident John Roston, who attended the committee meeting, said councillors are being asked to “buy a pig in a poke.”
“This doesn’t reassure neighbourhood residents like myself who fear that the hotel promise is a ploy to get the other buildings rezoned for general commercial uses, possibly leaving the eastern buildings vacant,” said Roston.
“A few years from now, Onni can come back to get them rezoned as well.”
Roston is also concerned that without permanent staff on-site, neighbours will have to call the police in case of trouble and “we will all be paying for Onni’s security services”.
