Image: Mike Vanden Bosch / Pattison Media / A Centex gas station and Subway are shown at 8032 Lickman Road in the busy industrial section just north of Highway 1 in Chilliwack. Following a public hearing that saw no one from the community voice opposition Tuesday night (Oct. 10), Chilliwack city council has approved a zoning bylaw amendment and two development variance permits for a 72-room, five-storey hotel and industrial development that will be located just behind a Centex gas station on Lickman Road in Chilliwack.

By Mike Vanden Bosch

72-room hotel coming to Chilliwack

Chilliwack council OK’s 72-room, 5-storey hotel behind Centex gas station on Lickman Road

Oct 12, 2023 | 2:59 PM

CHILLIWACK — Following a public hearing that saw no one from the community voice opposition Tuesday night (Oct. 10), Chilliwack city council has approved a zoning bylaw amendment and two development variance permits that will facilitate a 72-room, five-storey hotel and industrial development to be located just behind a Centex gas station on Lickman Road in Chilliwack.

The applicant, listed as Joe Dhaliwal in city staff reports, had asked the city of Chilliwack to rezone a section of the property from a tourist commercial zone (CS2) to a service industrial zone (M2), and another portion of the property from a light industrial (M1) to an M2 zone to facilitate the construction of a combination industrial and hotel development.

Centex is located at 8032 Lickman Road; the property where the hotel and industrial development were approved is 7990 Lickman Road.

As the property is within an industrial development permit area, Chilliwack city council was required to approve a development permit for form and character.

The hotel development will feature 72 rooms, five storeys, 72 parking spaces and 28 trees.

G.W. Graham Football

G.W. Graham gears up for quarterfinals after thrilling comeback to win wild card playoff

2h ago

Build vaccine stockpile, use wastewater testing for H5N1 bird flu, experts urge

2h ago

Vancouver officer sexually assaulted colleague, but police group chat targeted victim

2h ago

The industrial development will consist of three multi-unit industrial buildings, 86 parking spaces, bicycle parking spaces and 73 trees.

City planner Adam Roberts said the proposed hotel and industrial development were in line with the overall redevelopment trend and existing character of the area.

The applicant requested an increase to the maximum building height from 20 metres to 20.9 metres. The height increase only applies to the southeast corner of the building to accommodate increased building articulation and architectural features.

Image: Mike Vanden Bosch / Pattison Media / This is the site of a future 72-room, five-storey hotel in Chilliwack; it will be located just behind the Centex gas station at 8032 Lickman Road, which used to be a Husky-branded gas station for many years.

The hotel will be surrounded by a restaurant, cannabis retail store and hotel, Hampton Inn, to the north; a service station (Centex), a bare industrial lot, a liquor store, a cannabis retail store and Tim Hortons to the west; industrial uses to the east; and two commercial vehicle service stations, Shell/Flying J and Commercial Cardlock, to the immediate south.

Councillor Chris Kloot said the hotel proposal is welcome given the city’s low vacancy rate.

“Nice to see another hotel development being proposed,” Councillor Kloot said during Tuesday’s meeting. “I think [with] 72 additional units, we know our vacancy in this city is very low. I’m happy to see two hotels under construction across the road from each other. It will change the whole area there within the next year or two. I’m definitely looking forward to more people visiting our city.”

Mayor Ken Popoove agreed by saying, “Absolutely, absolutely.”