Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

NNSL (Jul 03/98) - The city is bending over backward to please the diamond industry, say critics of a massive airport rezoning.

"Effectively, what they've done is stymied or muffled any objections," said Yellowknife Property Owners Association vice-president Mike Byrne.

Byrne was referring to city council's refusal to hear anything on the rezoning of airport lands after the public hearing required by law.

The change opens 566 hectares of territorial government-owned airport land to industrial and commercial development.

Because of its security and transport advantage, the airport area is the first choice of diamond sorting businesses. Canada's first diamond valuation centre will be built there this summer and another is in the planning stages.

Following the hearing, Kam Lake resident Alex Debogorski tried in vain to address city administration's response, known as "rulings," to concerns expressed at the public hearing.

Debogorski was stopped by Mayor Dave Lovell, who said it was unfair to hear more objections to the rezoning without also hearing from those who support it.

Clerk Tim Mercer confirmed Lovell's position, saying the city's lawyers had advised as much. The city is currently awaiting a legal opinion on the matter.

"The mayor himself said at second reading we would be able to address council on it before third reading," recalled Debogorski.

Lovell also told council it would be possible to amend the bylaw before third reading.

But on Monday Debogorski was again denied a chance to raise the subject, and Lovell told council he was mistaken when he suggested the bylaw could be modified between second and third reading.

"I misinformed council," said Lovell. "I should have known, but I didn't."

Lovell added he was also wrong to advise Debogorski he could speak to the issue before third reading.

The bylaw can be changed, but that would delay passage of it by at least three weeks.

Two aldermen did not see any problem in that.

"I think it's premature to rezone such a large area of the city," said Kevin O'Reilly. He noted a planning study of the area was due to be completed within a few weeks and the concerns of the residents of Kam Lake, which could suffer from a competing industrial zone, had yet to be addressed.

O'Reilly seconded a motion made by Ald. David Ramsay to reduce the area to be rezoned by half.

None of the other aldermen supported the motion, the general sentiment being any changes should be made after the zoning is approved.

Lovell said there was no immediate need to rezone the property, other than the signal it sends to the diamond industry.

"What it says to the diamond industry and the territorial government is 'yes, we're on board.'"