With the development of the Stevens quarry off the table, it appears a vacant 14-hectare chunk of land off the Copper Haul Road could serve as a quarry site.

Yellow Truck Excavating has applied to rezone the site, which is vacant commissioner's land, from Future Planning to Quarries.

City council passed first reading of the rezoning at its meeting last week.

The application comes about four months after the Yukon government announced it would not be proceeding with plans to develop Steven's Quarry in the city's north end.

As it was noted in a summary report to council on the matter: "Administration confirmed that alternative sites for quarries are being explored now that the decision has been made not to proceed with the development of quarries in the Stevens Area.”

There was considerable public outcry and a protest petition against developing the Stevens quarry.

Area residents were concerned about potential noise, dust and heavy truck traffic, among other issues.

After the Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Board (YESAB) released its recommendations around the project, the government decided to drop it.

In this case, the proposed quarry is one kilometre from the nearest residence and from McLean Lake.

The application for the lease triggered the YESAB review.

As a condition of the proposed lease, the site must be rezoned for quarry development.

"The proposed quarry is consistent with the OCP (Official Community Plan), and the requirements of the zoning bylaw with respect to quarry operations will be enforced as conditions of a development permit if the rezoning is approved,” it's stated in the report to council.

With first reading of the bylaw having passed, residents can have their say on the proposal at the July 8 council meeting, when a public hearing is scheduled.

A report will then go forward to council at the July 15 meeting prior to second and third readings of the bylaw being voted on the following week.