Residents in the Whitehorse Copper and Spruce Hill subdivisions do not want to see mining near their properties under any circumstances, members of city council heard Monday night.

At a meeting of the City of Whitehorse standing committees, members of council heard pleas from area residents who are concerned that staking in the area would lead to degradation of the land. They told council they do not want to see mining in their back yards.

More than 100 claims have been made in and around the Copper and Spruce Hill areas. Additional claims have been made between the Spruce Hill and Golden Horn areas, immediately to the west of the Cowley Creek and Mary Lake subdivisions as well as in the Mount Sima area.

Mount Lorne MLA Steve Cardiff, who appeared representing residents in the Spruce Hill area, expressed concern on behalf of his constituents. He told council that Whitehorse residents are against mining near their property.

'I went to the mining resources office the claims actually extend down to the bottom of the subdivision.

'People want to be able to live (peacefully) on a piece of property that they've bought and invested their life savings in,' said Cardiff, a New Democrat.

After hearing that mining could only occur with a permit from the City of Whitehorse, Porter Creek resident Carole Bookless said she was concerned with land degradation from pre-mining activities and sought assurance from council there would be no mining in her area.

'It's not just a full-fledged mine that we are concerned about, it's all the activity that goes with that,' Bookless said.

'To identify the minerals, there's going to be extraction activities that are necessary and you don't need a permit to do that.'

She said she didn't want to see the loss of trees nor the disruption of the environment, and called on council to heed residents' concerns.

'I'm a home owner and I'd like to be sure that there will not be a mine there.'

Responding to residents' concerns and questions from council, city planning manager Lesley Cabott said no mining could take place without council's approval but that she wasn't sure if a permit is required in assessment activities.

'Mining development cannot take place without a permit from the City of Whitehorse but there can still be staking,' she said.

Cabott said she would look into the matter and report back to council.

The reservations voiced by the residents echo similar concerns that were made when the issue of staking within city limits was discussed in 1996.

After receiving complaints from residents, council requested a two-year moratorium on staking within city limits, an action which was supported by the Yukon government and led to the granting of a federal order.

During the moratorium, the City and territorial Department of Economic Development officials conducted a Mineral Resource Assessment of the city and rated resource potential of various areas within the city.

In 1998, council decided to let the moratorium on staking lapse.