Mike W. Bryant
Northern News Services
Wednesday, March 02, 2007

YELLOWKNIFE - An airport bypass route from Kam Lake to Highway 3 is a step closer to reality after city council rushed to vote in two bylaws that would establish an airport industrial zone.

Council voted unanimously Monday night to pass the two bylaws on first reading after holding a special committee meeting earlier in the day to discuss the matter.

Key to the city's goal of the bypass route is the sale of industrial lots along its length that would provide much needed cash to build it. The city has previously estimated the cost of building the four-kilometre road at $6.2 million.

City administration noted Monday that there is no more industrial land available in the city.

RTL Robinson Trucking is one of the main proponents pushing for the new industrial zone. They want to build a tank farm there consisting of eight 15-million-litre steel diesel fuel tanks.

Cheryl Robinson, communications coordinator with Robinson, said it's imperative to get the tank farm built as soon as possible.

"We would like to have it constructed in time to receive fuel and be able to help the mines with fuel supply during next year's winter road (season)," said Robinson.

The company's goal is to have a steady supply of fuel on hand and avoid the risk of fuel shortages with shipments from the south. The tank farm will be built a short distance from the Department of Defence forward operating location site, if approved.

Transport Canada has already approved the project. RTL is waiting to hear back from NAV Canada, and is planning to meet with the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment for their approval.

Coun. Kevin Kennedy told the special committee Monday that he was worried about the future environmental implications of having such a fuel facility built within city limits, adding that fuel storage areas are "notorious" and a "huge environmental problem" in communities throughout the NWT.

"We know there is a history when a company goes bankrupt, the public are left to clean it up," said Kennedy.

Also at issue are so-called "caretaker" residences that have proliferated in the existing industrial zone at Kam Lake. The city is adamant that residential development stays out of the airport zone this time.

The aging Great Slave Animal Hospital, which may be forced to vacate its present Kam Lake location after its lease expires next year, is interested in the airport zone, but its owners say a new hospital will need a staff residence.

"We need to be able to provide a residence for these people so that they are able to monitor our boarding and hospital animals," said Emilia Pisz, whose father owns the clinic.

The clinic would need either some sort of agricultural or site-specific zoning if it were to be allowed in the airport industrial zone.

Coun. Mark Heyck asked city administration Monday night if site-specific zoning was possible there.

City administrator Max Hall said he would have to look into it.