City council signed off on the zoning approval for the creation of 27 country residential lots near the intersection of the Fish Lake Road and the Alaska Highway.

At Monday night's meeting, members of city council voted in favour of giving the Raven's Ridge development proposal zoning approval by a margin of four-to-one.

Coun. Dave Stockdale was the lone councillor to oppose zoning approval. He said he felt more time was needed on the issue to resolve concerns over subdivision access and ski trails on the property.

Mayor Ernie Bourassa and Coun. Mel Stehelin were not there to vote on the issue, which has taken nearly two years to resolve.

Following the meeting, Raven's Ridge co-developer Mark Radke said he is relieved the zoning issue has been resolved. He said he and his partner, Erik Nyland, are anxious to begin work on their project.

'It's been at least two years. I mean, we're relieved, but this is still not done,' Radke said.

'We still have to go through the subdivision process. We're one step closer.'

Now that the development has zoning approval, Nyland said, it's time to get to work.

'I think I've got a lot of work to do. As the engineer, I'm responsible for the design of the subdivision. I have to make sure everything is up to city standards ... it's simply a lot of work,' he said.

He said future work, like the work that has already been done, will be as sensitive to the environment as possible.

'Everything we've done to this point with the design, has been to minimize the environmental impact of the whole thing.

'By using the existing road and following the existing trails, every road that will be in the subdivision will be following an existing road; that was intentional,' Nyland said.

Radke told last Tuesday evening's council meeting that without permission to build an access road, the developers would not proceed with the lots.

The existing access road, according to development plans, is the original Fish Lake Road, which skirts the edge of the McIntrye Marsh for 180 metres.

The ski trail that crosses Raven's Ridge is part of the Whitehorse Cross Country Ski Club's 10-kilometre trail.

Construction of the road through an environmentally protected area, according to the Whitehorse Official Community Plan, is permitted as long as it 'takes the shortest route possible.'

The ski trail issue, Radke told council, is closer to resolution following discussions between club president Bill Curtis and the developers in recent weeks.

'I met with Mr. Curtis a few weeks ago; we more or less agreed to let bygones be bygones,' Radke said.

Referring to ski club member Jim Gilpin who addressed council on the issue Monday, Radke said he believes ski club members who are still lobbying council are doing so without the consent nor knowledge of the ski club's executive.

At the beginning of last evening's meeting, Gilpin made a presentation to council. He asked for a right-of-way through Radke's and Nyland's property to enable members of the public, including snowmobilers, to have access to the back country through Raven's Ridge.

'With respect to Mr. Gilpin's carefully-crafted statement about the ski club's position, I'm a member of the ski club and I wasn't consulted,' Radke said. He believes the opposition of the ski club executive does not reflect the views of the entire club membership, he added.

Gilpin's opposition, he added, did not accurately reflect the views of the ski club's executive.

'I think what (Gilpin) is saying is that he hasn't been consulted,' Radke said, adding that the club's president had personally told him Gilpin does not represent the views of the club's executive.

The developers and the ski club executive, Radke said, are slated to sit down next week to hammer out a deal for the relocation of the affected part of the club's trails.

A deal would likely mean, Radke added, that the ski club could use its entire trail system legally.

Addressing his fellow members of council before Monday evening's vote, Coun. Doug Graham said the zoning debate on Raven's Ridge has been going on long enough and that it's time to move forward.

'We've gone 'round and 'round on this one for some time.' Graham said.

'I believe there are some things we have to leave to the development process, the development permitting process; one of those things is the road,' Graham added.

'We need to give our administration direction as to what we want, and then make sure they carry it out,' he said.

'There's still the subdivision approval level.'

City manager Dennis Shewfelt said the city does indeed still have some decision-making powers over the development even after zoning approval.

Stockdale said he could not vote in favour of subdivision approval Monday night because he still wants clarity on the subdivision's access road. He also wants to know the outcome of the meeting between the developer and the ski club.

He said he feels council still has a role to play in ensuring every aspect of the development is considered before signing off on the development's zoning.

'I don't think it can be done at the administrative level,' Stockdale said, adding that he would like a little more time.

'I don't want to play all my cards at this particular time.'

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