Fernie City Council gave first and second readings to a zoning bylaw amendment application for a proposed development on 5th Avenue.
At its Tuesday (August 25) council meeting, city staff presented an application to amend Zoning Bylaw No. 1750 by rezoning 502, 522 and 542 5th Avenue from Public Institutional (P1) to Comprehensive Development Six Zone (CD6).
Proposed development project map. (Image Credit: The City of Fernie)
The vacant Maintown property is currently zoned P1 and listed for sale. A developer is seeking to redesignate the site for residential use to allow a high-density residential development.
The site is behind Holy Family Catholic Church and the Fernie Family Centre and covers about 2,013 square metres, or 0.5 acres.
It was recently used as a community garden and playground for Wild Wapiti Child Care, which operated out of the Fernie Family Centre. That use has since been decommissioned, leaving the site mostly vacant.
Before submitting the application, the applicant met with the city’s Planning and Development Services and Engineering and Public Works departments in 2025 to review a concept proposal.
To the north, nearby properties include low- and medium-density residential uses zoned Residential Small Scale (R-SS) and Multiple Family Residential (R4). The site is two blocks from Historic Downtown.
The proposal calls for a 43-unit, five-storey residential building at the southeast corner of 5th Avenue and 5th Street.
The building would be 16 metres tall. The ground floor would include residential amenity space, a lobby, secure storage and a partially covered parking area, with 43 parking spaces proposed.
The proposal includes an approximately 1.3-metre setback from adjacent lots to the northeast at the fifth storey.
The proposed unit mix includes:
- 8 studio units, ranging from 385 to 460 square feet
- 14 one-bedroom units, ranging from 510 to 650 square feet
- 21 two-bedroom units, ranging from 810 to 915 square feet
Proposed development project visual rendering. (Image Credit: The City of Fernie)
The applicant said the unit mix is intended to serve a range of market segments, from individuals to smaller families.
The developer submitted technical reports in support of the application, including a Site Servicing Report, Sanitary Assessment and Laneway Traffic Review.
Jeremy Johnston, the city’s director of planning and development services, said the city received 89 written public submissions. The submissions raised concerns about the building’s scale and height, impacts on views, heritage building protection and parking.
Council discussed concerns about protecting Historic Downtown, the courthouse and Holy Family Catholic Church. Council also reviewed public feedback, including residents’ concerns about the potential loss of iconic views.
The motion received first and second readings. Council asked city staff to return with expert reports, including a viewscape assessment and heritage impact assessment, before making a final decision.
Proposed development project aerial view. (Image Credit: The City of Fernie)
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