Whitehorse Daily Star

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Coun. Dan Boyd

Boyd hesitant about relaxing city building rules

As the city looks to move forward with its plans to build a new downtown fire hall, council has agreed to give second and third readings to a bylaw to rezone part of the land near Front and Black streets.

By Palak Mangat on August 8, 2018

As the city looks to move forward with its plans to build a new downtown fire hall, council has agreed to give second and third readings to a bylaw to rezone part of the land near Front and Black streets.

The site once served as the Motorways trucking yard.

The bylaw to amend the existing rules could permit the removal of a vegetative buffer about three metres high between residential and commercial properties and the fire station’s proposed site.

It comes after city planner Kinden Kosick told council last week that a review found the plans could not meet the requirement for the buffer, so an amendment was recommended.

At Monday evening’s meeting, Coun. Dan Boyd was hesitant of the amendment. If the city begins to relax standards and rules for city buildings, he said, it should do the same with other developers.

The report to council last week cited a “minor relaxation of the interior side yard,” Boyd noted.

“But we’re actually removing the whole three-metre buffer,” he pointed out. “That doesn’t seem minor.”

A city planner said the rule is “really designed to create some spatial separation and landscape separation” between buildings, but confirmed that the entire buffer would be removed.

Boyd reminded council that “if we have other developers that are in similar situations, we would afford them the same consideration.”

The rezoning would also see the zoning changed to Public Utilities from its existing Mixed Use Waterfront.

The new fire hall is expected to be built over an estimated five lots.

Once built, the current downtown station will close, perhaps making space for the adjacent city hall to expand under the city’s building consolidation program.

The last time city hall was expanded was during the mid-1980s, when a small grassed picnic area was built over.

All six councillors and Mayor Dan Curtis were present at Monday’s meeting.

Comments (3)

Up 0 Down 0

Tired of arrogant development on Aug 14, 2018 at 3:51 pm

We already have so few urban trees and vegetation. It would be a mistake to allow this development to raze these trees. Also why would you build a new fire hall in a prime, near waterfront location?

Up 13 Down 6

joe on Aug 8, 2018 at 5:22 pm

Build a firehall beside residential units ( seniors) a hotel or two and vacant lots slated for mixed use ( including residential!!) that's just plain stupid. Build the firehall in Riverdale by the river. Perfect spot.

Up 27 Down 2

Groucho d'North on Aug 8, 2018 at 3:19 pm

While I may not agree with everything Mr. Boyd does in Council. I applaude his application of principles in the consideration of matters before Council.

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