SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - City councillors voted against a recommendation by city hall administrators to hold off voting on the proposed bylaw to re-zone Tin Can Hill as a parks and recreation area.

"How will you vote on re-zoning Tin Can Hill?" Paul Falvo: "I'm leaning toward preserving it." Bob Brooks: "It's premature … for the last number of months, we've been going out and getting opinions and trying to put together a plan for Tin Can Hill. What I would like to see, is to see the plan with what the findings are and what the restrictions and caveats may be before we decide what needs to be re-zoned." Lydia Bardak: "I see real value in keeping it as it is. I think it's terrific green space but … I'm looking forward to hearing more about limited development." David Wind: "I think we should delay that decision on re-zoning until after the 2010 general plan is completed … I will vote against the re-zoning proposal." Dave McCann: "This proposal is premature. It may be that some portions of Tin Can Hill need to be looked at in terms of preservation … What I'm hearing is that some councillors want to turn (the consultive process) on a dime, that's not responsible or wise to do." Shelagh Montgomery: "I'm probably leaning toward rezoning … It's not going to put us in a quandary in the next five to ten years if it's not developed." Kevin Kennedy: Was out of town and could not be reached for comment. Mark Heyck: "I'll be supporting the general plan and re-zoning amendment. It's a unique natural space in Yellowknife and I think people really value it."

In a memo to council, the planning and development department urged council to wait until after the Smart Growth Development plan is complete.

At a committee meeting on Tuesday, councillors voted not to delay the second reading, which is set to happen at Monday's council meeting.

The Smart Growth report is expected in the next few months.

Several consulting firms worked on the project, including Dillon Consulting and Terriplan Consultants in Yellowknife, as well as national consulting firms iTrans, Eidos and MetroQuest.

Adrian Bell, a Smart Growth committee member, said he wasn't surprised city administration made the recommendation but he didn't expect it to delay the vote as similar arguments have come up before.

"I don't think it will make a difference to the councillors that are pushing this," he said.

He said he's frustrated that after a year-and-a-half long process, the findings could be ignored.

The Smart Growth consultation process cost almost $750,000, said Jeffrey Humble, director of planning and lands with the city.

He said $175,000 of that came from the city's 2007 budget. The Federation of Canadian Municipalities put $300,000 toward the project and other funding came from the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, and the Department of Education, Culture and Employment.

"Discussion can continue without seeing that document, we can't halt everything waiting for a report," countered councillor Lydia Bardak, who previously voted to amend the bylaw. On Tuesday, she voted against postponing the second reading.

She said because the consultant's report doesn't have a set time line, it could delay the decision-making process.

Bardak said she doesn't buy the argument the area could be used for affordable housing because since the lots are undeveloped, it would be expensive to build there. However, she also said she was interested in hearing more about options for limited development.

Coun. Paul Falvo said he has received more e-mails from people concerned about Tin Can Hill than any other issue.

"It makes sense to remove it from immediate future development and look at other options," he said.

Bob Brooks, a councillor who voted to postpone the second reading, said in an interview that council remains split on the issue.

"It could go either way," he said.

He said deciding to re-zone Tin Can Hill now would be premature and told the committee the administration's recommendation was a good compromise.

In a memo to the Priorities, Policies and Budget committee, city administration reports residential development over the past five years has been challenged by a "Not in my back yard" mentality among residents.

People on both sides made presentations on the topic at a public hearing during the Aug. 24 council meeting.