Whitehorse Daily Star

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Mike Ellis

Residents would be consulted on proposed new lots

The city is proposing to create 13 new lots

By Stephanie Waddell on May 16, 2017

The city is proposing to create 13 new lots in established neighbourhoods, including country residential areas.

Mike Ellis, the city’s acting manager of planning and sustainability, brought forward the proposal at Monday evening’s city council meeting.

If council votes to move forward next week with the plan, Ellis said, a public consultation period would get underway immediately. Residents have until June 16 to provide comments.

The 13 lots to be created would be:

• in Logan on Finch Crescent in between Magpie Road and Falcon Road;

• in Ingram on Sandpiper Drive near Mallard Drive;

• in Granger on Wilson Drive toward Hayes Place;

• in Hidden Valley on Couch Road behind Hidden Valley School near the Mayo Road;

• in Mary Lake with three potential properties on Fireweed Drive;

• in Cowley Creek on Salmon Trail near Dolly Varden Drive;

• in Porter Creek on Wann Road near Holy Family School; and

• in Whitehorse Copper with four potential sites along Talus Drive.

While work continues on developing the new Whistle Bend neighbourhood, Ellis said, “it is important to augment development in that neighbourhood with new opportunities throughout the city to ensure there is an adequate supply of housing and help ease escalation in housing prices.”

Properties for Phase 3 of Whistle Bend are set to be released in the fall, with the first lots of Phase 4 forecast to become available in 2018.

“However, with the current supply being limited, administration is looking to augment land releases in Whistle Bend with other land development options in neighbourhoods throughout the municipality,” Ellis said.

He highlighted city policies like the sustainability plan and Official Community Plan (OCP), which increase housing in existing neighbourhoods.

The city and Yukon government agreed to partner up in looking for potential sites that could be used for housing throughout the city.

“Administration has identified 13 locations that will be brought forward for public consultation,” Ellis said.

“The search was limited to OCP-compliant land that has no currently known significant recreational uses.”

The country residential sites would need rezoning should the proposal go ahead.

“While administration is committed to the land development process, input from local residents on the type and form of housing is important,” Ellis stated in his report to council.

“As such, there will be a consultation process with local residents and the general public to determine the best approach to development.”

After Coun. Rob Fendrick asked for further details, Ellis said the consultation would be done online, with a significant advertising campaign to inform residents of the potential plans.

Signs would also be posted on the sites being considered to let people know what may be developed on the site.

Coun. Samson Hartland pointed to the city’s goal of having a two-year supply of lots available in the city.

In response, Ellis noted that sales in Whistle Bend have witnessed a bit of a yo-yo pattern.

They flowed fairly slowly at first, then unexpectedly quickened – making things difficult to predict .

Ellis said exactly when the 13 lots might be released will depend on a number of factors. Those include what comes out of the consultation process and any zoning, subdivision or other such processes that follow.

Council will vote on whether to move ahead with the process next week.

Comments (14)

Up 0 Down 0

Politico on May 22, 2017 at 9:45 pm

Actually Groucho, They're putting in a water main. Take a look at the big pipes that are getting buried!

Up 2 Down 0

Groucho d'North on May 21, 2017 at 4:25 pm

I see some roadway construction taking place from the Porter Creek/Whistlebend roundabout heading for McIntyre Creek and the Kopper King area. Will this be what was formerly known as Porter Creek D?

Up 3 Down 1

Lana Marshall on May 20, 2017 at 9:27 pm

I suggest to all residents in these areas make your opinion known now. Don't wait for it to be approved then go to zoning and multiple approvals through council. There will be months of public process ahead where Council can say no. Reach out to the Mayor and Council now. mayorandcouncil@whitehorse.ca. A simple email telling them will go a long way.

Up 7 Down 2

Nick Smith on May 19, 2017 at 11:19 pm

If the Residents are going to be consulted then the City should just cancel this plan. Look what happened in Riverdale 10 years ago when the residents were consulted about developing a Cul de Sac in an area set aside for future development on Liard Road. The uproar was enough to shut that project down then. If the City developed this area in Riverdale they could add 6-8 lots to the 13 planned and then have 21.

Up 10 Down 9

Nunya on May 17, 2017 at 12:54 pm

If they open more lots in Hidden Valley are our high taxes going to go down? High taxes for no services. We need a paved walking trail for the kids to walk to school on and be safe instead of walking on the road. Move the City limits to the Mayo Rd and Alaska Highway and bring the taxes down. Just sayin.

Up 13 Down 4

Stanley Miller on May 17, 2017 at 11:55 am

If you are considering buying these lots have a very close look for trails on your potential property.

If people are using ATVs on a trail that enters the property perhaps look elsewhere because there may be no end to the grief you will experience.

Up 8 Down 12

Archieandjughead on May 17, 2017 at 11:16 am

Riverdale is the best!

Up 15 Down 6

Nile on May 16, 2017 at 9:14 pm

@TB. There is plenty or space for lots in Riverdale. My guess would be about 50. All zone future development. Perhaps that alone would be justification for a secound bridge.

Up 22 Down 7

Curious on May 16, 2017 at 6:59 pm

Why would the city create more lots in Hidden Valley when they can't service the current population out there as it is, can't remember the last time a city plow actually made it out here before the locals had the roads cleared, they provide jack s**t for services and charge huge amounts for taxes, by all means survey out the lots and sell them, it's a great community but the city doesn't deserve our tax dollars, they don't earn them.

Up 15 Down 10

north_of_60 on May 16, 2017 at 6:22 pm

If any portion of Wasteland Bend had been left treed and divided into country residential lots, then all of those CR lots would have sold as soon as they became available. We can thank the myopic Sustainability Department's social engineering for the WB debacle.

Up 7 Down 15

Anonymously anonymous on May 16, 2017 at 6:09 pm

Just what we need. 4 new houses on the south side to cram even more kids into our already overcrowded school. Expand the school? So it can be just like every other oversized school in town? Defeats the purpose of why we moved out here 10 yrs ago. But what do I know...

Up 25 Down 12

Thomas Brewer on May 16, 2017 at 4:34 pm

@Nile
There's a couple of vacant lots (why, I have no idea) in Riverdale, but much of the vacant space is owned by various FN's who have their own plans for development. The rest is park space, mountains, or river.

As for density, Riverdale would come in highest with all the apartment buildings, condo's, and low income housing. Not to mention almost half the schools in Whitehorse.

Perhaps you should direct your vitriol elsewhere.

Up 28 Down 4

Hugh Mungus on May 16, 2017 at 4:09 pm

13 lots! That should last us......15 minutes.

Up 33 Down 16

Nile on May 16, 2017 at 3:57 pm

Don't worry folks. No new lots in Riverdale. The Liberal mayor is ok filling up your back yard but will make sure his stays safe.

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