Mrdjenovich plans hotel on Franklin
City council to review builder's next project on property next to Arnica Inn
Shane Magee
Northern News Services
Friday, January 15, 2016
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
A builder with a history of controversial developments in the city is turning his eye to constructing a "small-scale hotel" below the Arnica Inn on Franklin Avenue.
Jeffrey Humble, the city's director of planning and development, wrote in an e-mail that the city has received a development permit application.
Mike Mrdjenovich, the owner of Nova Builders and that parcel of land, said he couldn't talk because he was in a meeting, when Yellowknifer reached him by phone. Though he said he'd call back, he didn't by press time. Because it is still early in the process, Humble was unable to provide details but described it as a "small-scale hotel."
Nova Builders is also building a new hotel across the road from the legislative assembly, beside the Explorer Hotel. That project came under scrutiny from environmentalists last year over concerns with the Niven Lake trail and waterways along the back edge of the property. The 2192.8 square metre property along Franklin is zoned Old Town mixed use which allows hotels or motels with conditional approval by council.
The Zoning Bylaw only stipulates that such a use be on the east side of 50 Avenue, which the property is on. The bylaw sets out that council consider whether to approve the development based on impact on neighbouring land and other lands in the city.
Under the bylaw, council has the power to reject the permit application even if it conforms to the requirements of the bylaw. That meeting on the permit could happen sometime in the next month, Humble wrote.
Mrdjenovich also owns an adjoining property that is accessed from the bottom of School Draw Avenue, the former site of Bartam Trailer Court which was cleared in the early 1990s.
Although Mrdjenovich pitched multiple developments for the site, only a fence has materialized.
