SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
A representative of Friends of Twin Pine Hill called on municipal officials to better involve the public in decisions about development of the area and to uphold its own design standards.

Jamie Bastedo speaks at a city municipal services committee meeting Monday about development on Twin Pine Hill. - Shane Magee/NNSL photo

Jamie Bastedo spoke to the city's municipal services committee meeting Monday saying the newly formed group of city residents is seeking minimum terrain disturbance on the rocky outcrop between downtown and Old Town. A 126-unit condo development approved last year is under construction on the hill.

"Most of all, we want to be listened to, so that you fully grasp our perspective, genuinely value our input and seriously consider our concerns and suggestions," said Bastedo, going on to say members of the group aren't happy about the approved design of the condo units and how they are integrated on the hill.

Last spring, council was asked to rezone the area to allow the condo development. No public presentations were made to council at the time about the idea.

Coun. Niels Konge suggested Monday that had members of the public who were concerned about development on Twin Pine Hill turned out in numbers as they did this week, the previous council may have gone a different way when voting to rezone the area.

Konge said he was glad to see about 45 people turn out for the committee meeting and presentation and asked Bastedo for thoughts on how the city could better engage in dialogue when considering developments.

Bastedo said there had been poor turnout in the past but added the group can work with the city on improving consultation.

During a city council meeting later the same day, Coun. Julian Morse asked city staff about the comments made by Bastedo, including whether the city followed its own development scheme for the area.

Jeff Humble, the city's director of planning and development, said plans for the hill changed numerous times over the years.

"The development that you see up there now, contrary to what you heard today, resulted in significantly less blasting," Humble said.

He pointed to a shorter entrance road as one of the main reasons for less blasting of the rock.

Humble also mentioned that there had been a proposal to put in the trail system in 2012 before development began but that was rejected.

"Could it have been better?" Humble said after raising several points. "I think perhaps but we did what we could to minimize the amount of blasting."

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