Revelstoke council will make a major vote on the proposed highway shopping centre development today.
The zoning bylaw amendment that will allow for grocery store and pharmacy use on the Revelstoke Crossing lands at the intersection of the Trans-Canada Highway and Highway 23 North is set for third reading today.
Hall Pacific is proposing to build a shopping centre that would include a grocery store and pharmacy as anchor tenants.
Staff is recommending council give the zoning amendment third reading, which would move the development to the next stage of the application process — approval from the Ministry of Transportation.
Once that is obtained, the amendment would come back to council for adoption.
The development faced heavy opposition at a public hearing two weeks ago, with many opposing the added uses, saying the shopping centre would hurt the downtown core.
The proponents say the project would benefit the local economy and create 200 short-term and 200 long-term jobs.
Michael Spaull, the development manager for the proponent Hall Pacific, told the Review following the meeting that they would drop the development if it is rejected by council.
It is a tough decision for council, who ran on a pro-development platform, yet find this project opposed by many influential community members, including many downtown business owners.
The council meeting starts at 3 p.m.