SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Yellowknife may soon have its own funeral home, after a motion was passed by city council unanimously on Monday which approved a change to the city's zoning bylaw to allow it.

The location of the proposed funeral home is the former Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, near J.H. Sissons School on the corner of Burwash and Forrest Drive.

Yellowknifer was unable to get in touch with representatives of Yellowknife's Jehovah's Witness community by press time.

"I just wanted to say that I think the city does need a funeral home," said city councillor David Wind during the Municipal Services Committee meeting at city hall on April 5.

"I believe the building that is identified in this proposal does make an excellent location for that," said Wind.

The written memorandum states the funeral home will provide a place for families to visit their dead loved ones, as well as a location for non-denominational funeral services "from time-to-time." The funeral home will not offer embalming or cremation services.

There are currently businesses that provide funeral services in town - things like arranging for flowers, caskets, and burial plots - but no actual funeral home.

Stanton Territorial Hospital currently provides a small visitation room for relatives of the recently deceased.

Fewer false alarm warnings

City council passed a motion unanimously on Monday to reduce the amount of warnings given out before handing out $1,000 fines for false fire alarms.

Previously, warnings were given out the first three times on a calendar year that a false fire alarm was called to the same property. On the fourth time, and every time afterwards that year, the owner was fined $1,000.

That has now been reduced to two warnings.

"This is not a revenue generation, this is a deterrent," said public safety director Dennis Marchiori at a Priorities, Policies and Budget Committee meeting on April 5.

Marchiori said the average number of false alarms called in to the fire department every year over the past five years is 262, and that the city brought in between $20,000 and $30,000 last year from the $1,000 false alarm fine.

Float on

A float plane base on Kam Lake is becoming closer to reality after city council passed a vote on Monday permitting the development of a float plane marina on the site.

Coun. David Wind was the only one who spoke on the matter in city hall on April 5 during a Municipal Services Committee meeting.

"I have been opposed to the establishment of a float plane base on Kam Lake ever since its been coming to council," said Wind.

"I found that there was a lot of opposition to establishing a float plane base from people using and residing on Kam Lake. I will be consistent with the position I've taken on this," said Wind.

When the vote came before council on Monday, it was opposed by Wind and by Coun. Paul Falvo.

Bylaw backtrack

City council voted unanimously on Monday night to eliminate several zoning restrictions that have garnered several complaints from developers and homeowners.

The bylaw amendment eliminated the clause which set a maximum allowable number of storeys, but kept a clause that sets a maximum height of 10 m for buildings. It also gives development officers the authority to allow up to 25 per cent variances, and allowed detached garages and sheds to be built in front of a house, though under very stringent conditions.