The District of 100 Mile House has given the Cask and Cleaver the go-ahead to build a new patio to increase its seating capacity.
Council made the decision following the regular council meeting on Tuesday, May 6 noting they considered the impact of noise on nearby residents to be minimal, confirmed the capacity increase would not generate a significant increase in traffic volumes or cause late-night policing concerns. Council also noted the capacity increase will demand adequate on-site parking be achieved and to delineate 25 on-site parking spaces.
The proposal by Cask and Cleaver, as detailed in a letter sent by owner and director Neale Ward to the District of 100 Mile House Council, stated the establishment would accommodate a maximum of 50 patrons inside and up to 74 patrons on the outdoor fairweather patio - which would ensure the capacity would not exceed 94. This would be a shared capacity.
Cask and Cleaver is currently adding a 768 square-foot fairweather patio, which is "designed to support additional patron capacity, especially during the peak tourism season when outdoor patronage significantly increases," as well as an additional bathroom.
"We believe these enhancements will not only meet current regulatory requirements but also contribute positively to our community by providing a welcoming venue for residents and visitors alike," said Ward in the letter.
Ward told the simplymastery he expects the patio to be installed in around two weeks and he has heard a lot of support for the patio extension.
"A lot of our customers are very happy to hear that we're going to be adding additional seating, especially for the summer, and a lot of our regulars have expressed their excitement for it to be completed," Ward stated. "It's going to be a nice outdoor space for people that are travelling through town, as well as for the locals to come and enjoy."
During a May 9 public hearing on the proposal, several letters of support were read out from Saturn Zezza, Cal Wilson, and Mac Harris of MDA Fabrication. Zezza wrote "now that Cask and Cleaver is part of the BC Ale Trail, it's more [important] than ever to support their growth. Increased capacity means greater potential for tourism, economic development, and community connection."
However, concerns were raised in a letter by Dave Dickie, the owner of Donex Pharmacy and Department Store. In his letter, he said there is a parking crisis on the north end of Birch Avenue and he worries this expansion will exacerbate it.
"The Donex parking lot is congested. There are six other businesses that rely on the Donex lot for their customer parking, Didi's down to the health food store. The Donex staff are continually policing the parking lot for abuse," Dickie wrote.
He added that the plan to add 25 additional parking stalls would be inadequate parking, noting the majority of the Cask and Cleavers' customers lived outside the district or are travellers passing through town.
"I am also having a hard time visualizing how they are going to fit 25 parking stalls on the lot with the expansion of the building footprint. There has to be a proper flow in and out of the lot as well," Dickie stated, asking the district to forward him the parking plan for the proposed expansion.
The parking concerns were the subject of discussion during the public hearing, which both Dickie and Ward attended. Ward responded to the concerns, stating the parking plans fit within the bylaw - something which, crucially, Joanne Doddridge, the director of economic development and planning, agreed with.
"So technically, the number of parking spaces and the size of the stalls does meet bylaw requirements. Practically speaking, it is another matter and if the parking spots are not delineated, people will just park anywhere," Doddridge said.
After the public hearing concluded, council got into a broader discussion regarding parking. Mayor Maureen Pinkney said she did not want the parking situation to become an issue, but did not rule out monitoring.
"There may be a time when, if we get a lot of complaints, if this goes forward, that we may have to also monitor, and if it is because the people are parking over in Donex or on the side street, and then walking through and there's vendors over there, maybe he can't have vendors, I don't know," Pinkney noted, referring to when travelling fruit vendors set up in the Cask and Cleacer's parking lot.
Coun. Dave Mingo noted the Donex parking spot had issues, including what he said was a truck and trailer RV unit in there taking up four parking spaces.
"It's a nice problem to have to hear that in the town is busy and that there are people obviously shopping in the shops and stuff down that. And so that's great to hear, but yeah, it's hard," Mingo remarked.
Coun. Donna Barnett asked Doddridge how the district would determine how many parking spaces a new business would need.
"Bylaw says that all the uses of a property have to be parking requirements for each use should be added up together, and that's the total amount of parking," Doddridge said.
The recommendation passed unanimously.
