Mike W. Bryant
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (July 05/02) - City council will meet Monday to decide whether to grant Super 8 Motel developers their wish to landscape its property edge instead of putting up a fence.

Council's public services committee ordered developers to build a six-foot high fence four years ago as part of the conditions laid out in their permit to build the motel.

The developers initially agreed but last May attempted to convince the committee to allow them to landscape and line their property with potted planters instead.

The developers had reached an agreement to carry out the new plan with their next-door neighbours, the Yellowknife Condominium Corporation.

The committee carried the recommendation but it was deferred after council voted it down at the last public meeting, June 24.

Super 8 minority shareholder David Connelly said he can't understand why council wouldn't approve their change in plans.

"It's based on the premise of modern communities breaking down barriers and avoiding a fortress mentality," said Connelly.

He did receive information from the city, however, that may provide ammunition to his cause.

Under bylaw 4024, no corner lot fence may exceed three feet or 0.9 meters high on a residential lot.

Super 8 Motel is situated in a commercial zone, but borders a residential area.

"I feel quite confident that council does not want to force Super 8 to adopt development conditions that are countering their own bylaw," said Connelly.

For the time being the condominium corporation are staying out of it.

"We're hopeful we can work with Super 8, and other neighbourhood residents to reach a neighbourhood solution," said condo president, Sarah Kay. "We'll see where it takes us."

Some councillors, however, are sticking to their guns.

Coun. Dave Ramsay, one half of what Connelly referred to as the "O'Reilly/Ramsay wall," said as far as he knows, there is still one resident on neighbouring Butler Drive who remains opposed to the landscaping plan.

And that's enough for him.

"Basically, what it boils down to for me ... is in 1998 they agreed to build a fence," said Ramsay. "It's 2002 (and) they don't want to build a fence as per their development agreement.

"We have to hold them to that. There's part of me that's trying stand by some principles here."