City council provided direction to city staff on the renewal of a Whitehorse snowmobile bylaw Monday night, though the door is still relatively wide open.

After defeating one of 15 recommendations which called for banning snowmobiles on city streets and roadways, council adopted an amendment put forward by Mayor Bev Buckway allowing the continued street access, but only in approved areas.

There has not yet, however, been any discussion regarding which areas, streets or roads might become off-limits.

Through public consultation on the renewal of the snowmobile bylaw first approved in the early 1970s and last amended in 1991, council heard that prohibiting the use of snowmachines on city streets would be a nightmare for many.

It could potentially force homeowners to buy a trailer to transport their sleds to the trail at the end of their street, the public has stated.

Council heard that forcing snowmobilers to transport their sleds to public staging areas to enter the trail network would lead to a greater volume of unnecessary truck traffic, and parking congestion, to name a few.

Coun. Ranj Pillai told his colleagues last night he was not about to support a bylaw that would force people to buy a trailer.

Furthermore, he pointed out, the layout of some city properties makes it impossible to load a sled without driving it on the street.

City manager Dennis Shewfelt reminded council administration was looking for general direction, not a decision every point to be addressed in the new bylaw yet to be drafted.

In an interview following the meeting, Shewfelt said it's not likely the bylaw will be ready until the winter of 2012-13.

And it's not likely it will identify each and every street in the city regarding whether it's open or closed to snowmobile use, but rather will likely be more general in terms of providing guidelines to access approved trails for motorized vehicles, he said.

Shewfelt said once the bylaw is drafted, it needs to go back to council for review, and then through a public and legal review.

The initiative to renew the city's snowmobile bylaw began last year with the appointment of a Snowmobile Task Force.

Included in the report from the task force were the 15 specific recommendations presented to council last night.

Council also directed administration last night to include reference in the bylaw to existing territorial legislation which states:

• snowmobilers must wear helmets;

• snowmobiles must have liability insurance;

• snowmobiles must be registered with the motor vehicles branch; and

• snowmobilers on city streets must have a driver's licence.

Council also approved posting speed limits on designated trails, and directed that snowmobile use in protected areas be prohibited.

It also directed staff to develop a set of guidelines outlining the proper use of snowmachines on designated trails, including that snowmachines should keep to the right.

Bylaw manager Dave Pruden told council that it may seem like the city is going overboard by stating the obvious.

Stating the obvious, said Pruden, may have prevented a recent collision between a pedestrian and snowmobiler as they crested a hill on the same side of the trail, one wearing headphones the other deafened by the sound of the motor.

Coun. Dave Stockdale questioned the inclusion of a requirement that snowmobilers must take a safety course before operating a snowmobile in the city.

Who, the councillor asked, would develop the course, administer it, pay for it, and where would it be delivered?

Pillai said in response to Stockdale the council was being asked to provide general direction to include a public education component of the bylaw, not nail down the specifics.

Stockdale, however, fired back that it's not possible to discuss the question of a mandatory safety course without knowing essential information, like who would provide it and who would pay for it.

By Chuck Tobin

Star Reporter