Applicants for land on the Fish Lake Road have been denied, say three applicants contacted by the Star.

Neither officials with the Yukon government's lands branch nor Energy, Mines and Resources Minister Archie Lang would comment this morning.

Those applicants who learned of the decision said they were simply told the group application for some 26, six-hectare lots was turned down because there were too many concerns and unanswered questions, and that there was a need for a more planned development.

None of the applicants, however, was told whether they'll be first in line for their lots if and when a planning exercise for the area is complete. It's a question, they said, that is foremost on their minds.

They also mentioned they'll be appealing the decision.

Lands branch spokeswoman Bonnie King said minutes of last week's meeting held by the land application review committee (LARC) will be made available next Wednesday, after the applicants have been notified of its decision in writing.

Cabinet spokesman Peter Carr said this morning it would be premature for Lang to comment, but that he would likely be prepared to say something Monday.

There was a public furor last summer when it was learned that a staking rush for the lots had occurred. Some felt that if the government was making available what many described as prime rural residential property, it should have done so through the normal land lottery.

It was even suggested that it was a case of those with insider knowledge who benefited.

Lang, however, dismissed any such notion. The Yukon Party had committed to making more land available, and it was simply a matter of process following the April 1, 2003 transfer to the Yukon government of federal authority for land in territory that the rural lots along the Fish Lake Road became available, the minister explained last summer.

He said he would not apologize for those who kept their nose to the grindstone in search of rural residential land, and who came upon the Fish Lake opportunity.

As the debate ensued, the lands branch decided it would not handle individually the 31 applications it had received but would treat them as a group application requiring a higher level of environmental screening.

Those with concerns about development in the area expressed concerns about impacts on local wildlife, increased population density and traffic in what some described as a wilderness gem on the city's edge.

Wendy Fournier, who has lived in the area for her entire life, appeared before the review committee last week, arguing in favour of further residential development.

The scope of residential development identified would not affect the local wildlife population, said Fournier, whose son is an applicant.

She said it would establish a greater residential presence and reduce the number of those who use the area as a jumping off spot with their off-road vehicles to access the wilderness beyond where there is a concern for the impact on wildlife.

Fournier said they will appeal the decision.

One of the first applicants who went through the application process for a lot along Fish Lake Road was approved.

LARC heard from one applicant last week who felt it was unfair that her family's application was put into the group application. As relative newcomers to town, Merle Just told the committee, she and her husband had no insider knowledge and were taken aback when it was suggested in public that there was may be some sort of back-door deal going on.

They were just looking for land, and there on a map in yellow in the lands branch was the available land, she told the committee.

They followed the same rules and process of the successful June applicant, and didn't think it was fair to now treat subsequent applications any differently.