Council briefs
Condolence card to sign at city hall for Atsumi Yoshikubo's family
Randi Beers
Northern News Services
Published Friday, November 14, 2014
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Coun. Dan Wong announced at Monday's city council meeting Yellowknifers will have the opportunity to sign a card of condolence for the family of Atsumi Yoshikubo.
Yoshikubo is a Japanese tourist who went missing in Yellowknife in late October. She was last seen heading toward Jackfish Lake Oct. 22 and is now presumed by the RCMP to be dead.
Wong says Yellowknife resident Shannon Ripley organized the effort and gave the card to him. He will leave it at the city hall customer service desk for the next two weeks so people can sign it, then Ripley will send it to Yoshikubo's family in Japan.
"I know there was a tremendous amount of local support for the search and I think it's a way for Yellowknifers to let Atsumi's family in Japan know our thoughts are with her family," he said.
Tin Can road gets 'banal' new name
Banal or not, the name is here to stay.
City councillors voted unanimously Monday night in favour of passing a bylaw to name a Tin Can Hill access road Tin Can Way, despite the opposition of at least one resident.
"It's a very good thing to name this road, but my opposition is that you have picked the most banal name possible," said Vera Sampson, who dropped by council for Monday night's public hearing on the proposed bylaw.
"I've been through the thesaurus and I'm not sure I could find anything better but I'm sure you could."
She also took the opportunity to plea for the city to add more "charm" to the new road.
"Put some more curves in it, make it more adjusted to the contours of the land," she said.
The access road runs up Tin Can Hill and veers north toward the city's new water treatment facility, which is still under construction.
Mayor Mark Heyck opened the public hearing by clarifying a concern some residents had sent city council in written submissions.
"In no way, shape or form does this bylaw indicate any intention or signal of the city to develop on Tin Can Hill," he said.
"This is simply a housekeeping matter."
Size restrictions removed from Kam Lake homes
Kam Lake residents will no longer be restricted in how big they can build their homes.
Council passed a bylaw Monday night to remove a 1,400 sq. ft. size restriction to residential dwellings on business lots in the light industrial zone.
Coun. Niels Konge, who has a business and home in Kam Lake, expressed some concern over a stipulation in the bylaw, because the zoning will stay as light industrial, that requires business owners to have a 1,000 sq. ft. commercial space attached to their lot. He pointed out some businesses, such as those that provide boat storage, don't necessarily need an established structure.
"Are there avenues for people if they feel they have a legit business use in Kam Lake where they don't need a structure ... to ensure they aren't forced to build a building they don't want or need?" he asked city administration.
Jeff Humble, Yellowknife's director of planning and development, assured Konge properties in Kam Lake would be considered in a "flexible manner."
"How do we ensure it's flexible if it's not in the bylaw?" challenged Konge.
Dennis Kefalas, the city's senior administrative officer, told Konge residents can refer to Nov. 10 council minutes as a guarantee for flexibility and added there are avenues for people to dispute their assessments if they don't seem fair.
The bylaw survived the debate with Konge and Coun. Rebecca Alty opposed.
Taller hospital OK'd
Council passed a bylaw Monday evening that will allow the territorial government to increase Stanton Territorial Hospital's height by 10 metres.
The hospital is currently 15 metres tall.
Coun. Niels Konge opened debate by reiterating his wish to use the government's request as leverage in the city's negotiations to develop the Capital Development Area around Frame Lake.
"Is there any reason why this should go through second and third reading tonight and not postpone it until we know we'll get what we want from the territorial government?" asked Konge.
Mayor Mark Heyck told Konge this wouldn't be possible because council "considers decisions on their own merits and doesn't tie them to other issues."
"I think that's unfortunate," answered Konge.
"The land around Frame Lake is ripe for development, but we can't because of some rules the (Northwest Territories) government has. Now they want more storeys on their hospital, but they can't do it without our blessing. This is an opportunity for you rub to my back, and I'll rub yours."
Coun. Linda Bussey took a less hardline approach by saying she "fully supports" the request and sees this as an opportunity to work with the territorial government.
Coun. Dan Wong agreed.
"We are talking about a renewed Stanton Territorial Hospital so we are talking about enormous improvement for anybody living in this part of the North," he said.
The bylaw carried unanimously after Heyck double-checked Konge had
indeed voted in favour.
