A hotel, roughly 750 residential units, as well as commercial and retail space are envisioned at the former Howard Johnson Hotel site in downtown Nanaimo. (City of Nanaimo)

By Alex Rawnsley

continued objections

Proposed development at former Howard Johnson site returning to public hearing

Mar 19, 2024 | 9:52 AM

NANAIMO — It’s one step backwards for one of the city’s most high-profile properties, in the hopes future progress can be made.

City Councillors opted to rescind third reading of zoning and land use bylaws for the former Howard Johnson Hotel property at the corner of Comox Rd. and Terminal Ave. on Monday, March 18.

It means the proposed rezoning, required for the development of a proposed hotel, residential towers, retail space and more will return to public hearing, as early as April 18.

The move comes after strenuous objections from Snuneymuxw First Nation in both September 2022, then escalating in May 2023 regarding land use and development on a historic site.

SFN had previously said their engagement process with the City was “incomplete”, with Chief Mike Wyse saying in a May 2023 statement the City risked having a previous agreement on shared vision regarding land use “dismantled”.

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“[Any progress at the property] will be plagued by opposition from our Nation, delays from inevitable archaeological discoveries, and challenges that are insurmountable without us,” Wyse wrote.

The provincial government has facilitated discussions since, involving Snuneymuxw, the land owner and, at times, the City of Nanaimo.

In late 2023, Councillors opted to defer any decision on the final adoption of the affected bylaws until the province’s process was complete.

Animation of what the footprint would look like for the Howard Johnson Hotel site. (City of Nanaimo/NanaimoNewsNOW animation)

City director of development approvals Jeremy Holm said on Monday night the process is still ongoing.

However, it may not find a resolution.

“At this point in time, the City has not received official communication from the province [their process was complete]. What the City has received is a request from the land owner that the bylaws be returned to Council for consideration of adoption. The land owner has indicated they’ve withdrawn from the facilitated process.”

The earliest possible public hearing date available is April 18, according to Holm, however a firm schedule has not been announced.

Following public hearing, Council will be again asked to give third reading to the bylaws.

Should a third reading be issued again, Council may consider final adoption at a later date.

The bylaws affect five separate properties which make up the site, including 444 Comox Rd., 450 Comox Rd., 500 Comox Rd., 55 Mill St., and 1 Terminal Ave.

Closed since the fall of 2018, the Howard Johnson Hotel has sat in a continuing state of decay ever since.

Most recently, RCMP officers used the facility for explosives training exercises in early March.

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