Proposal

A Discretionary Use application has been received by POP Wine Bar Ltd. requesting approval for a tavern use at 334 20^th Street West in the Riversdale neighbourhood.  

The site is zoned B5C – Riversdale Commercial District under Bylaw No. 8770, 2009 The City of Saskatoon Zoning Bylaw (Zoning Bylaw).  The purpose of the B5C District is to recognize historic commercial areas which include a wide range of commercial uses in a medium to high density form. The B5C District is intended to promote redevelopment which includes residential uses where appropriate. A tavern is considered a Discretionary Use in the B5C District.

The existing site currently functions as a restaurant which is a permitted use within the B5C – Riversdale Commercial District. The current owner has applied for a tavern designation at the location.

The applicant is not proposing any exterior alterations to the building, nor any renovations to the existing rear parking/garbage collection area. The Tavern will offer a “Natural Wine Bar” and is proposed to be open from 3:00pm – 12:00am, Tuesday through Saturday each week. The proposed tavern will feature a comprehensive wine and cocktail list and will offer a smaller selection of foods to pair with any beverage

Location Map

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Site Plan

What is a Discretionary Use?

All property in the City of Saskatoon is assigned a zoning designation.  Within each zoning designation, specific land uses are either permitted, prohibited, or discretionary.  A Discretionary Use is a land use that is generally consistent with the permitted uses in a zoning district; however, further review is undertaken to evaluate how the proposed use relates to the context of surrounding properties and uses.  As per Section 4.7.2(1) of the Zoning Bylaw, a Discretionary Use may be approved, approved with conditions, or denied by City Council, and in some cases by City Administration.  Tavern uses require City Council approval.

The Planning and Development Department evaluates Discretionary Use applications on a case-by-case basis considering the site itself, as well as the surrounding context including nearby land uses. A Discretionary Use approval is applied to a specific site, not the applicant. Any change in size or intensity of the use approved would require a new Discretionary Use application.

What is a Tavern?

The Zoning Bylaw defines a “tavern” as an establishment, or portion thereof, where the primary business is the sale of beverage alcohol for consumption on the premises, with or without food, and where no live entertainment or dance floor is permitted.  A brew pub may be considered a tavern if beverage alcohol is manufactured and consumed on site under a valid manufacturer’s permit in accordance with the Alcohol Control Regulations.

Process for Reviewing and Approving a Discretionary Use Application

When a Discretionary Use application is received by the Planning and Development Department, it is circulated to internal Civic Departments to identify conformance or conflict with the Official Community Plan, the Zoning Bylaw, and any other applicable policies and regulations. Departments that review the application can include Planning and Development, Transportation and Construction, Environment and Utilities, Saskatoon Fire Department, and Building Standards.

Once the application has been reviewed by internal Civic Departments, public engagement on the application is undertaken. Registered property owners typically within 75 to 150 metres of the subject site, the Community Association and the Ward Councillor are notified of the proposed Discretionary Use application as per the City’s Public Notice Policy. When considered necessary, a public information meeting may be held to provide information to area residents on the Discretionary Use application, answer questions, and receive feedback.

Information collected from the internal review and public engagement processes will be considered by City Administration and Council. The application may then be approved, approved with conditions, or denied.