Ontario Planning Commission hears preliminary plans for new hotel complex on Walker Lake Road
A developer from Columbus told the Ontario City Planning Commission that a groundbreaking is planned for the fall of 2023 for a 120-unit Home2 Suites by Hilton Hotel on Walker Lake Road just north of the current Cinemark 14 theater complex in the already-bustling shopping center.
Chris Knapton, director of development for Moment Development, told council members on Wednesday that plans are to build the hotel, offices, a restaurant and multi-family residential units, including condos and townhomes.
Ontario Mayor Randy Hutchinson said the meeting Wednesday was a preliminary one and the developer will come back on Nov. 9 at 4 p.m. at the city administration building on Stumbo Road to present the plan and any final changes.
The commission members asked questions about parking, easements, commercial screening or greenspace and trees around the property, lighting, building heights and more to meet the city's codes. Knapton said 154 shared parking spaces are on tap at the hotel and should be sufficient for hotel guests and offices, since not everyone is there at the same time.
Hotels traditionally do not operate at 100% occupancy. Knapton said there will be parking garages underneath the townhouses.
"This is our first planned unit development," Hutchinson said. "It's very exciting."
Planning commission did not take any action Wednesday. They will make a decision whether to approve the project and then the hotel proposal goes before city council for a vote.
"A sidewalk will go down in front of the hotel property. There will be a traffic study. They will build in phases," Hutchinson said.
This is the developer's first project in Ontario. Knapton said there is no information yet on the names of restaurants planned for the site.
lwhitmir@gannett.com
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This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Developer plans hotel, offices, restaurants, townhomes in Ontario
