Before city council passes a proposed bylaw governing off-road vehicles like ATVs and snowmobiles, Dave Roddick wants to see the city develop legislation that will protect areas like Chadburn Lake.

'Chadburn Lake is a park in name only,' the long-time Whitehorse resident told council.

There are very few protected areas in the city, Roddick said.

A bylaw governing areas for recreational use would also look at which areas could be used by off-road vehicles, he said.

He pointed out some trails which are used by both off-road vehicles and non-motorized recreationalists that have deteriorated because of the motorized traffic.

'It only takes a season to tear it up,' he said.

Roddick also pointed out a problem with the proposed off-road vehicle bylaw, which would define trails as highway.

Under the definition, which the city is governed to use under the territorial Motor Vehicles Act, highway includes sidewalks, ditches, roadways, lanes, driveways, bridges and similar areas.

The proposed bylaw would be a combination of the snowmobile and ATV bylaws.

The public will have more chances to comment on the proposed bylaw after a 6-1 vote by council Monday night to send it out for public consultation.

Coun. Yvonne Harris was the only council member to vote against the move.

The bylaw is unclear and doesn't support the shared use of the trails, she said.

Harris made a motion to send it back to administration for review.

Coun. Bev Buckway noted, however, if the city wants clarity, it would be better to send it out to the public for consideration rather than going back to administration, then out to the public, then back to administration once again after the public has its say.

While Coun. Doug Graham agreed there are a number of items in the bylaw that will need work, the public should be able to take a look and identify those and any other issues of concern.

'Changes can and should be made,' he said.

Coun. Dave Austin also wanted to see administration deal with any issues following the public consultation.

Bringing forward a bylaw that isn't clear puts a lot of stress on citizens, Harris argued.

It would be 'so much easier on people' to make a decision if administration were to improve the bylaw before it comes forward to the public, she said.

Harris was the only council member to vote in favour of her own motion.

Council then voted to send it out to the public.

This week, the city is planning to ask stakeholder groups to comment on the draft bylaw with a public open house scheduled for next Tuesday from 6 p.m. until 7 p.m.

The city will then take in the public comments and make changes to the proposed bylaw before it goes back to council on Feb. 16.