SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - City council unanimously supported second reading of a bylaw to require wood pellet boilers to be more pleasing to the eye at a council meeting Monday night.

The bylaw seeks to improve the overall physical appearance of wood pellet boilers in Yellowknife by regulating the boilers' location and appearance.

The agenda states wood pellet boilers often make residential neighbourhoods look industrial, so administration recommended introducing siding requirements to make silos look similar to the surrounding buildings. This means corrugated metal siding is prohibited.

Before councillors voted, Coun. Shelagh Montgomery asked administration what the cost difference is between corrugated metal and other siding materials.

Jeff Humble, director of planning and lands, said administration has spoken with suppliers and the cost is comparable.

"They (suppliers) did indicate that there is not a big price difference because of the fact that they had to assemble the corrugated pellet boilers here in town. The labour involved made the two types very comparable in price."

There are a number of wood pellet boilers already in operation around the city, including one at the Inukshuk Housing complex on Range Lake Road, another at the legislative assembly and one at the Yellowknife Community Arena.

Green light for temporary parking lot

Council unanimously supported entering into a three-year lease with Ron's Auto Services on a piece of land the business wants to use for staff parking Monday night.

When the recommendation initially came before committee March 28, administration believed Ron's Auto Service wanted to purchase the land and recommended council refuse the request due to the future plans for the land.

Rita Chamberlain, of Ron's Auto Services, attended the meeting and cleared up the misconception, informing council of the business's hope to lease the land, not buy it.

In light of the difference, councillors asked the recommendation be changed.

Before the motion was passed on Monday, Coun. David Wind suggested an amendment to give council more say in the matter, which was unanimously supported.

Wind said termination of the lease should be at the discretion of council and the planning administrator, not just the administrator, as is written in the recommendation.

The lease could be terminated before the three years are up because the land is highlighted for future transportation improvements in the city's Smart Growth Plan.

"It started out, it seemed, as an adversarial thing and by working together it came out as something that was mutually beneficial," said Coun. Bob Brooks.

Nine-unit condo association

If passed by council, the development at the foot of Tin Can Hill will be subdivided into three parcels, each with their own condominium association.

Originally, the developer, Highstreet Copper Sky Ventures, proposed to subdivide the property into 10 parcels - nine fee simple townhouse parcels for the nine-plex and one large condominium parcel for the 48-unit apartment building and three eight-plexes.

Despite that, the developer built the nine-plex with a shared utility service system, rather than individual service systems for each unit, which, due to the requirements of the National Building Code, means the lots can no longer be fee simple. The 48-unit apartment building will also be a condominium association, as will the three eight-plexes.

At the council meeting Monday night, where councillors unanimously supported first and second reading of the recommendation, Coun. Bob Brooks asked whether residents who have purchased the homes have been informed they will now be part of a condominium association.

"The buyers have been notified of the changes and they have the option of pulling out of the agreements and getting their money back," answered Mayor Gord Van Tighem.

Council will have a third reading of the recommendation April 25.

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