The Whitehorse municipal government has to do more research and better consultation with regard to new residential developments in the city.

That's the opinion of Porter Creek MLA Pat Duncan, who says she supports the efforts of her constituents to force the city to legislate greenbelt protection and public consultation in its future development proposals.

Duncan said in an interview Thursday her constituents are feeling ignored by the city, which neglected to consult with Porter Creekers before coming up with development plans aimed at filling in areas of the subdivision's greenbelt.

'I don't see reflected in the planning a vision of the city that the residents hold. Go do your homework,' the former Liberal premier said of the city's current approach to residential development.

'It goes back to spring, when residents approached the city and asked them to amend the OCP (Official Community Plan),' Duncan said.

When Porter Creek residents attempted to speak to the issue in the spring, she recalled, city council delayed discussions.

Duncan said her constituents were then shocked and dismayed this fall when the city approached them with development proposals for the area and asked residents which proposal they favoured.

She said the residents were surprised by the move because they didn't advocate any development in greenbelts.

'As far as the area residents are concerned, this was always zoned greenbelt,' Duncan said.

Earlier this fall, the city approached the residents of Porter Creek with four development options targeting their greenbelt.

As a result of public consultations, city officials opted for a development plan which calls for the creation of 280-plus new lots in Porter Creek. The majority would be located in an area that is currently green space.

In response to 'having their views ignored,' Porter Creek residents are attempting to use the city's referendum bylaw to force the city to legislate more public consultation during development planning and a greater degree of green space protection.

Under the city's referendum bylaw, supported by the Municipal Act, if protection bylaw advocates are able to obtain 2,000 signatures from registered municipal electors (voters), city officials would have to draw up a green space protection bylaw that falls in line with the proposal made by Carole Bookless, president of the Porter Creek Community Association.

The petition, according to Bookless, is being circulated in the community. It's also available at Goodie's Gas Bar, Centennial Video in Porter Creek, Herbie's in Granger, Isis, Alpine Bakery, Raven Recycling, the the Association Franco-Yukonnaise building downtown, Duncan's office, the Backerei Kauffe/Hause, Chocolate Claim, Zola's Cafe Dore and the Java Connection.

'We have at least 500 signatures after our first two weeks,' Bookless said in correspondence with the Star.

'We think this is a good start. Almost everyone signs the petition as we go door to door, which is great. It makes us feel we are on the right track.'

Earlier this month, Bookless presented city council with a proposal which called for the protection of city greenbelts.

The proposal states:

ï 'Shall the City of Whitehorse pass a bylaw requiring that, for every new or existing residential subdivision, a Greenspace Plan, passed by area plebiscite, be amended into the Official Community Plan (OCP) as part of any preliminary development in the area?

ï 'Shall the City of Whitehorse pass a bylaw stating that it will maintain the designation of Greenspace, Greenbelt, Park, Park Reserve or Environmental Protection of any land once so designated in any OCP, unless changed by plebiscite or referendum?'

Bookless also said greenspace protection advocates have been knocking on doors in the Porter Creek, Crestview, Hillcrest and Takhini North subdivisions and will be pounding the pavement in the city's other subdivisions soon.

'I think the word is finally getting across that this referendum is for all of Whitehorse not just Porter Creek ... (and) ... (t)hat is good,' she said.

Duncan said this is not the first time that greenspace protection has been brought up on either the municipal or the territorial government levels.

'In 1997, I tabled a petition in the legislature that this area of Porter Creek be protected. I again presented a petition last year,' Duncan said.

She said she had brought the issue up with city officials in 1998 and was told by then-mayor Kathy Watson that city officials would come up with an area development scheme.

She said to this day, no initiative to come up with a Porter Creek development scheme has been undertaken by the city.