There is far from unanimous support at city council for a private developer’s plans to create a 16-lot country residential subdivision next to the Lobird trailer park.

On the one hand, approving the Highland Estates development could quickly relieve the demand for bare land, country residential development.

“This is a sustainable, yet rapid fix,” realtor Felix Robataille told council Monday night.

“It would loosen the chokehold caused by the red tape around private land development in the territory and, more urgently, in the capital city.”

On the other hand, allowing almost 12 hectares to be removed from the “South Growth Area” at this stage could generate conflict with the dense, urban development set to begin in the area in about 10 years’ time.

After long debate, council members decided narrowly to reject administration’s recommendation to not approve amending the Official Community Plan (OCP) to allow the development, but reserve the right to change their minds at a later date, whether it’s next week at first reading or further along the approval process.

Could ‘mess up’ orderly development

“I can appreciate the private sector and the need for land, but this project is located right in the heart of a future development area where we have yet to figure out where to put the water and sewer,” Coun. Dan Boyd said.

“It really messes up the orderly development that we’re planning for,” he said.

He noted the similarity of this situation with the development of Porter Creek, when the taxpayers had to pay to hook up houses on wells and septic to the city system when it arrived.

Speaking on behalf of the developer, Lobird Living Corp., Stantec planner Zoë Morrison told council the bedrock and slope on the land parcel would limit denser development.

“With half-hectare lots, it is feasible to find appropriate, flat development pockets,” she said.

If the Highland Estates project went ahead, there would be no cost to the city and the lots could be ready for sale next year, Morrison said.

The developer would pay for the roads and set aside 1.18 ha for public use space (kids’ play park).

The homeowners would be responsible for septic and well service, as well as garbage/compost services. There would be power to the lots.

It would be the first country residential development in the Whitehorse area in 10 years, Robitaille said, with Fox Haven being the last one.

Robitaille said he was speaking as a resident, with “a keen interest in land development in the city,” and has no stake in the proposed development.

Country vs. urban conflict potential

But the downside is that development in the South Growth Area – with up to 8,500 units – could have a country residential neighbourhood right in the middle of an intense urban setting.

More importantly, the location of the Highland Estate development could block city plans for water, sewer and other rights-of-way for the area.

Another concern flagged by administration was the loss of housing potential.

They provided an illustration comparing the 16 lots proposed for the land parcel with the 115 lots a similar-size parcel would yield in Copper Ridge.

Peter Duke, the city’s manager of planning services, noted that this comparison is a rough one only, given the slope and bedrock involved on the lots.

In addition to the country residential plan, the developer is considering expanding the Lobird Estates Mobile Home Park to the north, Morrison said.

That wouldn’t happen for some time, as a new sewer and water system would be needed for up to 80 new mobile lots.

In the alternative, the property could be redeveloped into denser housing in the future, when municipal services reach the neighbourhood.

Councillors Kirk Cameron, Ted Laking and Mellisa Murray, along with Mayor Laura Cabott, were reluctant to accept at this time the recommendation to not proceed with the zoning changes needed for the development to go ahead.

“It’s hard for council to determine if we should hold off or not without (more) information,” Cabott said, such as knowing for sure if the terrain will not support denser urban development.

There was uncertainty about whether the country residential lots could be ready within a year, as claimed by the developer, or more like 2 1/2 to three years, as suggested by Duke, who noted that land titles alone can take up to eight months to process.

Questions were asked too about if the lots could be subdivided in future, adding to the water, septic and access challenges.

Work started on South Growth Area

The city has already begun feasibility work on the South Growth Area, said city manager Jeff O’Farrell.

Development would start within 10 years, unless council decided to start with the North Growth Area.

Under the current OCP, the development cannot proceed without having city water and sewer services in place. There is no cost estimate for extending services to the area, Duke said.

“Given the divided nature of this (council on the issue), let’s move this into the bylaw process, on the understanding that there is a lot more information to come and a lot more thinking to come,” said Cameron.

“There are many steps on the road for us to say no – we don’t need to say no right now. The message I want this (standing) committee to give to council is ‘there is interest in having a conversation …’”

The proposed country residential development would be similar to Raven’s Ridge, according to the developer. Its access road would connect to Lobird Road.

Undeveloped Kwanlin Dün First Nation land lies to the north, west and south of the proposed country residential development.

The city predicts that 6,150 additional dwelling units will be needed by 2040 to meet demand.

Under the OCP, the city will strive for denser development, urban in nature, with dwellings connected to city services.

If council were to support the Highland Estates development, the earliest formal approval could be given is July 8.

After that, the developer would need to obtain more approvals for a master plan, a Zoning Bylaw amendment and the subdivision design.

A Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Board review would also be required.