550 West Hastings Street: Delta Vancouver Suite Hotel

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

Date: March 9, 1998
Author/Local: Guy Gusdal/6461
CC File No. 2612-8

TO: Vancouver Liquor Licensing Commission

FROM: Chief License Inspector

SUBJECT: 550 West Hastings Street: Delta Vancouver Suite Hotel
Class `A' Lounge Liquor License - (New Hotel)

RECOMMENDATION

THAT Council endorse the request from Conference Plaza Hotel (G.P.) Ltd., for a 50-seat Class `A' Lounge liquor license at the Delta Vancouver Suite Hotel, 550 West Hastings Street, having considered the support of residents and business operators of the community, as determined by neighbourhood notification.

GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS

The General Manager of Community Services RECOMMENDS approval of the foregoing.

COUNCIL POLICY

City Council policy is to waive the requirement for a referendum for a full service hotel located in the Downtown core, provided it is illustrated that there is little or no community opposition as determined by the response to the pre-clearance notification process.

PURPOSE

Conference Plaza Hotel (G.P.) Ltd., on behalf of Delta Vancouver Suite Hotel, is requesting a City Council resolution endorsing their application for a Class `A' Lounge in the new hotel at 550 West Hastings Street.

BACKGROUND

Delta Vancouver Plaza Hotel (G.P.) Ltd., is a new full service all suite hotel. The applicant describes the 50-seat lobby lounge, to be named Spencer's, as upscale and reminiscent of a New York avant-garde environment. The hours of operation in the lounge will be 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m., and coffee and breakfast pastries will be served in this area prior to liquor licensing hours.

The subject premises are located in the CD-1 Comprehensive Development zoning district and the surrounding area is a mixture of retail, office, single room occupancies, residential, hotel and rooming house uses. The closest residential development is located directly south of the subject site across the rear lane (Appendix A).

There are eight Class `A' Pubs (1,308 seats), one Class `D' Neighbourhood Pub (65 seats), four Class `A' Lounges (635 seats), three Class `C' Cabarets (648 seats) and approximately 25 licensed restaurants in the survey area. The nearest Provincial Government operated liquor store is located in Harbour Centre at 555 West Hastings Street.

COMMENTS

The Police Department has no concerns.

The Environmental Health Division of the Vancouver Health Board has no concerns.

The Planning Department advise that Development Permit No. DE215872 was approved on April 6, 1994 for the construction of a 29-storey mixed-use retail/office/residential tower with 252 dwelling units on the south side of the site and a 23-storey, 229 room hotel with ancillary uses, including renovation and restoration of the former Toronto-Dominion Bank to provide for a conference centre on the north side of the site.

"Hotel" is a permitted use in the CD-1 By-law, and a lounge area, in conjunction with a hotel, is considered a customarily ancillary use. Any proposal to provide a lounge would require a minor amendment application to Development Permit No. DE215872.

It should be noted that the mixed-use tower located on the south side of this subject site is currently under construction. Once the building is completed, the tower will contain 252 dwelling units.

The Social Planning Department has no comments.

The Housing Centre has no comments.

Any concerns raised as a result of the neighbourhood notification will be reported verbally at the Commission meeting.

CONCLUSION

Staff supports this application as liquor licensed facilities in new full service hotels have minimal impact on the surrounding area.

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TO:	Vancouver Liquor Licensing Commission
FROM:	Chief License Inspector
SUBJECT:	550 West Hastings Street: Delta Vancouver Suite Hotel Class `A' Lounge Liquor License - (New Hotel)