Nathan VanderKlippe
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Jan 23/02) - A year-and-a-half after its zoning was changed, Ray DeCorby finally discovered that he could build on one of Yellowknife's most contentious plots of land.

In June 2000, the city changed the zoning designation for the land at 44 Street and 52 Avenue from institutional to R4, which allows for high-density residential development. The change was made as part of sweeping amendments to the city zoning bylaw.

But DeCorby didn't find out about the changes until this January.

"It's certainly about time," he said.

Now he is making plans to develop the land this summer, although he has not yet filed for a development permit or made any firm commitments to the site. The R4 designation allows for anything from townhouses to apartment buildings.

According to city lands manager Monte Christensen, the city was not obligated to inform each person affected when the bylaw changed.

"I don't know why he wasn't aware of it," he said. "We had many public meetings, and a pretty good turnout at these meetings (when the bylaw was being changed). ... He should have picked up on it when he looked at his property tax assessment."

A long history

DeCorby owns Polar Developments and has been in a decade-long legal dispute with the City of Yellowknife over the plot of land.

He is suing the city for $3 million in lost revenue, claiming the city acted in bad faith by refusing to rezone the property in 1987. Although the city has presented him with one settlement offer, he says the offer was inadequate.

The matter is still tied up in back-and-forth legal dealings between the two sets of lawyers, but is on course to go to court at some point.

"The wheels of justice appear to be grinding exceedingly slowly," said Coun. Dave McCann, who has chaired committee meetings dealing with the suit.

Although there doesn't seem to be an end in sight at this point, McCann wants the process done as soon as possible.