Yellowknife (July 28/04) - While the City of Yellowknife says it doesn't have a lot of land for residential development, at least one real estate developer disagrees.

Sean Kollee carries some steel beams toward a residential housing project in the Niven Lake area. Depending on whom you talk to, the city needs more land for residential development. At the same time, Dene and Metis groups in the area are making claims on some of the land.

"Right now there's probably 20 or 30 lots that could be developed in Phase 7 (Niven Lake)," said Monte Christensen, manager of planning and lands division with the City of Yellowknife.

Nova Builders Mike Mrdjenovich says the city has five years worth of residential land, if it releases the lots it's currently sitting on.

Ken Pearman, one of four owner/brokers with Coldwell Banker doesn't foresee an imminent problem either.

"As far as a serious crunch, I don't see one coming at all," he said. "We could use the lots, but if we don't get them, I'm sure we could survive."

Phase 6 delayed

Phase 6 of the Niven Lake residential development has been held up due to appeal.

The matter is heading before the Northwest Territories Supreme Court.

"We have 110 lots that we're trying to get released to develop at Niven Lake. It's now in the (NWT Supreme Court) appeal process," explained Homes North's Les Rocher.

Close to 30 of these units are expected to be modular homes while the rest will be stick built, he said.

The delay will mean construction for many of the homes will occur in the winter, increasing costs to the consumer, he said.

In mid-June, Niven resident Adrian Boyd, a former city lands officer, accused the city's planning and lands division of overstepping its authority when it approved developer Homes North's permit, May 14.

Christensen maintains the city will soon have to go through the land acquisition process given the rate of growth in Yellowknife.

"The territorial government would have to decide whether they were going to give us the land. If we could prove a need for more residential land they would probably allow us to acquire that land," said Christensen.

The city is interested in developing the Tin Can Hill area, north of the Con Trailer Park in between Rat Lake and Yellowknife Bay, he said.

The land is inside the city limits, but is owned by the federal government.

Nova Builders developer Mike Mrdjenovich said he thought the city had first right of refusal on the land, but Christensen again disagrees.

"There's no guarantee. No one is in a position to make those types of statements; we don't have first right of refusal," he said.

"The established process is apply to Municipal and Community Affairs and they will do the consultation process and afterward they make the decision."

Mrdjenovich also points to the Twin Pine Hill and the adjacent Barton Trailer Park areas as having substantial development potential. Christensen responded those areas are subject to further study.

Aboriginal claims

Yellowknives Dene and Metis claims on land surrounding the city have been ongoing since the late 1980s, but still aren't settled, said Christensen.

"It's all Commissioner's land. The Metis and native groups have been making assertions it's all their land," he said. "They've been doing that since '88."

He added it's the policy of the territorial government to see if the city can, "demonstrate a need" before the land is sold.

"That's the way its been handled ever since the late '80s," said Christensen.