District of Squamish staff is supportive of a new resort hotel and spa being planned in Furry Creek.
Fine Peace Furry Creek Development Ltd is proposing to build a resort hotel and spa at Furry Creek as part of a new development that will add 870 units to the area.
Fine Peace is a Canadian subsidiary of a Chinese company that bought the golf course and surrounding land in 2017.
The proposal was also referred to district staff for comments.
Being situated within 20 minutes from the proposed development, Squamish is likely to see economic benefits from the potential resort accommodation and spa on site, the district staff says in response.
The staff noted that visitors staying in hotels represent 25% of overnight visitors to Squamish and have by far the biggest economic impact of any visitor type, spending $43.1 million every year.
“A new property in close proximity would be a welcome addition, as the style of the proposed resort and spa (proposed as a high-end offering) is currently not available in Squamish,” the staff notes.
The applicants had first applied to SLRD in 2019, and the proposal received first reading in July 2021, though a public hearing has yet to be scheduled.
The application by Fine Peace is to create a comprehensive zoning amendment for the lands at Furry Creek. The development would accommodate up to 870 dwelling units, including a minimum of 120 non-market affordable dwelling units.
Along with a 120-room hotel and spa, the development also proposes 1,400 square metres of village area, a community centre, office and child care facility.
It also proposed 19.1 hectare of parks, trails and open space, and a Transportation Hub that include park & ride, bicycle lockers, electric vehicle charging stations and transit shelters, and a fire hall.
