In what has become a game of political hot potato, no one seems to be able to explain how there can be three separate plans for the Porter Creek greenbelt.

As reported in the Star on Friday, the issue was raised by Porter Creek MLA Pat Duncan last Thursday in the legislative assembly.

Duncan pointed out that while Porter Creekers are currently being consulted on a city proposal involving the development of 280-plus residential lots in their greenbelt, Education Minister John Edzerza is proposing to have the area transferred to Yukon College as endowment lands.

As well, Community Services Minister Glenn Hart has been proposing that the area be protected.

In an interview this morning, Hart said he was aware of the issue and will be working with area stakeholders to come to a resolution.

He said he has discussed the matter with Edzerza, who he described as 'one of the stakeholders,' and will now be setting up meetings among the Yukon government (YTG), the city and first nations groups to decide how to proceed.

'I think the issue is one of land use who's going to get to use the land and for what purpose?' Hart said.

He said his official position on the land debacle has not changed since addressing Duncan's questions in the legislative assembly last Thursday.

That day, Hart said he would resolve the dispute after consulting with stakeholders.

'... (W)e will be working with all the stakeholders in that region, including the City of Whitehorse, the first nations involved, the Department of Education and the college on what is going to happen with the endowment land or what is referred to as endowment lands between Mountainview and Rabbit's Foot Canyon,' Hart said last Thursday.

This morning, Hart added that there have been YTG interdepartmental meetings on the issue and that he believed the city had been contacted regarding upcoming consultation meetings.

In an interview this morning, a concerned Mayor Ernie Bourassa said his municipal government has not yet been contacted regarding consultation meetings, college endowment proposals or plans to have the area protected.

Bourassa described having three plans for the area as a 'problem.' He said he now advocates putting the brakes on the proposed Porter Creek development until the land debacle is resolved.

'It would be nice to hear something, I haven't heard anything to date,' he said.

'I guess at this point, my recommendation to council will be to halt the development completely.

'I don't want to waste any more time or money looking at a development proposal if they (the YTG) don't want to do it,' Bourassa said.

He added that city officials would now likely have to look at developing the lower bench in Porter Creek sooner than expected, which would likely result in higher lot costs and increased property values in the City of Whitehorse.

Bourassa said he was never forwarded any information regarding college endowment plans but that if it was decided the land would go to the college that he would not support any commercial development on the property.

'If we're not using it for residential development, any attempt for commercial development would be met with resistance by the residents of Porter Creek, and I would support the residents on that.'

Bourassa said he is not sure why the issue wasn't raised at Porter Creek development consultations held in late September and early October.

'Those are public meetings, we don't send out private invitations. This issue has been at the forefront for months; people should read the paper,' he said.

Last week, college president Sally Webber confirmed that the college board of governors had been discussing having the land transferred to the college as endowment lands which would be used for educational purposes with the possibility of a commercial development to provide a revenue stream for the college.

In an interview this morning, Webber said she only became aware of the proposed Porter Creek development in early October.

She said college officials were not invited to participate in the discussions and that there had been no correspondence between the City of Whitehorse and Yukon College on the issue.

'We were not in any way involved even though the lands are designated as college lands,' she said.

Webber pointed out that Edzerza had been discussing the endowment proposal with the college several times over the past two years.

'It wasn't just one occasion that Minister Edzerza made this committment,' Webber said, citing correspondence from Edzerza beginning in February 2003 and continuing to June of this year.

'We've been disappointed with the outcome to date,' she said.

When asked for his views on the three-plans-for-one-area debacle happening in Porter Creek, Coun. Doug Graham said he wondered what was going on within the ranks of the YTG.

'It's interesting; the first thing you have to think of is don't they talk to each other down there?'' Graham asked.

'I thought they had regular cabinet meetings,' he added.

Graham said, from a city perspective, he didn't understand what was going on because the Whitehorse planning department had been planning the area in consultation with the YTG.

'The YTG's been fully involved in the development proposal; fully involved,' he said.

'For Minister Hart to be talking about consultation, that doesn't make any sense at all,' he said.

The matter will likely be discussed at this evening's council meeting, Graham added.

Last week, city planning manager Lesley Cabott said her department had only engaged in development planning at the request of the YTG following a YTG feasibility study on the area.

'We've continued to take the lead (in the development proposal) in consultation with them,' she said.