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Council passed third reading to rezone a small portion of land at the end of School Draw Avenue to medium-density residential from growth management on Monday. - Simon Whitehouse/NNSL photo

SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
The rezoning of a small piece of land at the end of School Draw Avenue near the water treatment plant road has some residents upset, but the city is going ahead with plans to allow development of multi-family homes.

The 0.64 acre site is a part of Tin Can Hill that had not been changed to parks and recreation from growth management last January.

School Draw Avenue resident Candace Anderson, the lone speaker at a public hearing held Monday night, said she didn't feel she had received adequate information about the change and thought there was only a parking lot going in the area.

"In the past year, we have already seen significant encroachment on the Tin Can Hill area with the large residential development, to say nothing of the highway that was blasted up the hill," she wrote in her presentation. "There are plenty of other options in town for residential."

In an interview with Yellowknifer on Wednesday, Anderson described noise and dust in the area as "terrible." She added that the blasting over the past year and a half has scared her aging golden retriever, Oliver, who hides when loud noises take place. As well, the need to frequently repair cracks in the drywall from nearby blasts has been an ongoing nuisance, she said.

Resident Lee Montgomery, who resides on 44 Street, also wrote a letter of opposition to council but she was not in attendance at the hearing.

The issue proceeded to second reading and third reading later that evening.

Despite reservations from the two residents, council approved the zoning change with only Coun. Amanda Mallon rejecting it.

Councillors largely felt the issue had been discussed and advertised adequately, and that allowing for development is fair.

"Council had considerable discussions with regard to rezoning of Tin Can Hill and (communicated) that the zone identified with this particular portion would be set aside for possible development opportunities," said Coun. Cory Vanthuyne. "So I think we have been clear all along."

Mallon said she felt the zoning change was bad timing. She acknowledged that the piece of land is in the general plan as a plot to be developed and said she may support rezoning in the future. However, at this point, she would like the city to let people have "a breather" and allow for heightened emotions to settle regarding development in the Tin Can Hill area.

"I don't feel there is a need to address that (issue) at this time and that there is enough development right now," Mallon said. "Residents of Yellowknife have seen enough up there and we should let some of the scars heal - let the road go in and show people that it isn't a whole conduit to development up there."

Most councillors were in favour of the motion, however.

"We have had years and years of input and discussion and coming up with a compromise that allows for protection of this area and the reasonable development in some of the smaller areas," said Coun. Bob Brooks. "So I will be supporting this."

Coun. Shelagh Montgomery said the development wouldn't negatively affect Tin Can Hill or the parks and recreation designation that applies to most of the area.

"Given the road access in there, it made sense on both sides of the road to develop there," she said. "I felt it was appropriate with multi-family development going on there."

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