Following a nod from the territorial government, the city will again be looking at developing a subdivision in a Porter Creek greenbelt.

Premier Dennis Fentie said in an interview last week his government has completed public consultation work begun last year on the area and development possibilities will now be in the city's hands.

The need for more public consultation on the area, Fentie added, was a decision of the legislative assembly.

Fentie said a land development protocol signed by former mayor Ernie Bourassa and himself on behalf of the two levels of government recognized the city has the lead on development in Whitehorse.

'We have a protocol that does support the city with regards to development within city borders,' the premier said.

'This is now a choice for the city to make as to what is developed there.

'We do need land in the city, considering our growth. I would hope that the city would take that into consideration when making a decision,' Fentie said.

Mayor Bev Buckway said last week the greenbelt, located between Rabbit's Foot Canyon and Mountainview Drive, will be considered for development by the city and could be the subject of a charrette, a planning group made up of industry professionals and members of the public.

'We certainly will want to do development in there and move that forward.

'We have a lot on our plate right now, but we certainly want to be looking at that as soon as possible,' the mayor said.

'To have government support would certainly be helpful.'

Buckway said the city was looking at the area at the end of 2005 and received some public concerns that a public hearing on the area was cancelled.

'We were in the midst of holding a public hearing when it came out that different ministers had different ideas for the area.

'That's why we didn't go ahead with a public hearing on the area because it appeared more work needed to be done.'

In the fall of 2005, the city held several public meetings on the area and presented a plan for a 280-plus lot development.

City officials expressed concern when it came to light that then-Education minister John Edzerza was having discussions with Yukon College to turn the area over to the school for endowment lands and Community Services Minister Glenn Hart was pursuing plans to have the area protected.

While still mayor, Bourassa expressed concerns over the ministers' activities. He said the city had spent a great deal of time, money and effort on preparing the development but had never been informed other people were looking at the same area.

'Certainly, I'd hope they'd have the courtesy to inform us of this if this is what they have planned. If that's their intent, I'd like to know about it so we can stop wasting our time,' Bourassa said at the time.