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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - For the second time, Yellowknife city council deferred second reading of a bylaw amendment Monday proposing new rules for downtown development. Councillors now want to wait for the city's revised general plan to be ready expected this fall.

The motion, to defer put forward by Coun. Shelagh Montgomery during the Municipal Services Committee meeting Monday afternoon, was supported by Couns. Paul Falvo, Mark Heyck, Amanda Mallon and David Wind.

Montgomery said there is more that needs to be presented alongside the amendments to give a full picture of what's going to come to the city's downtown, like tax incentives.

"I think having some of those things come forward at the same time would provide a package that would really show what the city is trying to do to revitalize the downtown core," she said, noting that if the amendments are delayed for a few more months, she doesn't believe that will negatively affect the city.

The bylaw amendment, as written, require new downtown developments to have a minimum of two complementary colours and, in addition, a minimum of two differing complementary materials. Reflective and darkly tinted windows are also prohibited because planners say that they limit interaction between pedestrians and shops.

If passed, the amendment will also require large-scale developments along Franklin Avenue - buildings that are a minimum of four storeys and 800 square metres in size - to devote a portion of their ground floors to retail space.

The amendment stem from recommendations coming out of the Smart Growth Development Plan the city completed last year.

Coun. Bob Brooks, the chair of the Smart Growth Implementation Committee, was the only councillor to oppose the motion Monday, saying the general plan - a plan that gives direction on how to effectively manage growth and change in Yellowknife - will have no effect on what is being presented in the bylaw amendment.

"Nothing that would come out of the general plan, because it isn't prescriptive, would actually have any bearing on what we do with any particular bylaw," he said. "The bylaw itself is the place to be prescriptive."

Despite his efforts to persuade council, Brooks was outvoted and council deferred second reading for a second time.

The first deferral was made June 27 following a public hearing at a special council meeting. Montgomery had brought forward the motion to defer in light of questions raised by resident Barry Ward.

And even though Ward's questions were addressed in Monday's agenda, the majority of councillors felt it was better to continue to wait before proceeding with the amendment.

"I would prefer to take our time and make sure all our I's are dotted and T's are crossed," Heyck said. "I think we will all benefit if we slow down with these particular changes and bring them back in the context of the completed general plan."

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