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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Despite uproar from residents when brought up in 2004 and 2009, Tin Can Hill has once again been identified as an area under consideration for development.

Development of Tin Can Hill is back in the 2010 draft General Plan, unveiled in August, despite the idea having been met with heavy public backlash when brought up in 2004 and 2009. The city is currently building a road through the area to service a water treatment plant. - James Rubec/NNSL photo

The area was identified in the city's 2010 draft General Plan as a possible place for infill and expansion, despite that fact it was removed from the 2004 General Plan after residents complained.

City councillor Mark Heyck championed the efforts to keep the area as a untouched recreational area in 2009. He put forward a motion at that time to rezone the hill as parks and recreation, but it was deferred because fellow councillors didn't want to make any decisions until the Smart Growth Development Plan was completed.

The Smart Growth Plan is a 50-year vision for the future development of the city. It was completed last year and an implementation committee was formed in October of 2010 to start acting on the plan's recommendations.

"Now that that's happened and now that we're into the general plan process, in my mind, it's an opportune time to bring that rezoning bylaw back and consider that in conjunction with the adoption of a new General Plan," said Heyck on Friday.

Growth Management

Tin Can Hill is currently zoned Growth Management. The draft General Plan defines the area as including Con and Rycon and the School Draw extension, where the new Copper Sky development now sits.

Heyck said the plan is in its early stages and there is still time for council and administration to make changes.

Yesterday was the last day for residents to provide the city with feedback. The plan will now be revised to accommodate recommendations the city received. It will then be presented to the Municipal Services Committee for discussion. From there it will go through three readings and a public hearing at council.

In 2009, when the city discussed Tin Can Hill as a possible area for development, in conjunction with the General Plan, residents showed up at city hall to protest the idea.

"I believe it was 70 per cent of all the submissions that we received from the public mentioned the desire to see Tin Can Hill reserved as a natural area," Heyck recalled. "So I suspect that if for whatever reason this General Plan proposes development up there, we'll see just as high a desire from the public to see it preserved and I'll certainly be championing that as we move forward."

Mayor Gord Van Tighem said every time the city discusses Tin Can Hill it creates an emotional debate because so many of the city's residents use the area, whether it be for hiking, snowshoeing or skiing.

He noted that although it continuously shows up in plans produced for the city, it doesn't mean it will be developed. It just means that consultants view it as a possible area for development.

"In the eyes of people that do planning and do development ... they see it as a natural movement of development in the city, but we are talking about our city, and the citizens and the council are the ones that ultimately determine which way the General Plan is going to go," he said.

"This council and the last council have both supported the majority of that area being in its natural state for people that are walking and taking their dogs out. That's been the official stance."

This summer the city started developing a road through Tin Can Hill stemming off the Copper Sky development. The road leads to what will be the new water treatment plant at the end of 48 Street, where Pumphouse No. 1 is located.

The draft General Plan states that because of future development, like that plant or the possible Con Mine community energy project, further development of Tin Can Hill might be necessary.

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