The proposed Whitehorse Copper subdivision may have zoning approval from the city.

Nevertheless, Afan Jones expects to be back arguing against the development at council chambers when the development permit for the new neighbourhood comes forward.

The rezoning will mean the site on the south Alaska Highway will have country residential, parks, service industrial and public services properties.

At Monday evening's city council meeting, council approved the rezoning to allow for the country residential neighbourhood with a few changes that could see 99 country residential lots rather than the 105 that were proposed, and a roadway taken out.

The development has been heavily opposed by residents of Wolf Creek and other nearby subdivisions. They argue it presents traffic problems, as well as issues around water quantity and quality and wildlife habitat concerns.

Throughout the rezoning process, members of the Wolf Creek Community Association have been arguing a number of points about the development, with Jones speaking about wildlife.

After last night's vote on the rezoning, Jones said, from a personal view, he had mixed feelings about how details of the amendment will come out.

'At this point, I think we'd be satisfied the highway safety issue has been addressed to our satisfaction for now,' he said.

'Let's wait to see that that happens; that the Meadow Lakes access has not been built.'

For Jones, there's still a concern about how the new lots will impact the wildlife corridor with close to the same density as the 105 lots that were proposed.

'This has been a long haul,' he said, noting it's been 2 1/2 years since plans for the subdivision were announced.

A decision on second and third readings of the zoning bylaw has been deferred a number of times as council has considered the arguments on he matter.

ln bringing forward the amendments, Coun. Doug Graham proposed changing the zoning of what would have been six parks and recreation lots to a country residential zone.

That was followed by a recommendation at third reading, which the rest of council agreed to, that Mayor Ernie Bourassa send a letter to the territorial government requesting it not develop the southwest portion of the proposal, closest to the Alaska Highway.

Graham noted if the city allows the developer to take the six lots that were proposed to be parks and recreation for country residential use, some of the traffic concerns could be eliminated.

If the number of properties available was cut down significantly, Graham explained, the cost of the new lots would rise to a point where the development may not be viable.

He noted the parks and recreation zone where the country residential properties could be isn't needed because all the proposed properties have access to park land.

However, Bourassa said the idea of eliminating the southwest part of the site including an access road and 12 lots was met with reluctance at a recent meeting he had with territorial government officials.

'They don't want to do that at this point,' Bourassa said. 'What we have to do is come up with some other alternatives. If we can provide other lots and get rid of those lots, that may be one.'

Bourassa said the access road seems to be a key point for the government because it wants to ensure there are adequate ways in and out of the subdivision in case of wildfire.

'This may be something they want in at all costs,' he said.

This morning, government officials were waiting to receive the amendments to the zoning from the city before commenting on its impact to the project, Eric Magnuson, director of the territory's community development branch, said earlier today.

Graham noted the developer the government will still have to come back to the city with a development permit.

'Under the development permit process, which is the process we use, a developer, even once the land is zoned, has to come back to city council with a development proposal,' Graham said.

It's in the development permit process that details on the proposal are refined, such as the exact lot size, cleaning up contaminated sites and other such matters.

There's no doubt in the development permit process that the city has the ability to disallow the 12 lots the mayor will ask the territory to take out of its plans in the southwest corner.

Graham, who also serves as the president of the Association of Yukon Communities, said the organization and territory are working on coming up with alternatives to the current system on public input for proposed developments like Whitehorse Copper.

Whitehorse isn't the only community that has had to deal with such a process, Graham said.

'If YTG, as a developer because they are the developer, are developing land at our request, then they shouldn't have to put up with many of the things that you're (upset) with because council has directed development in that area,' Graham told the gallery. The audience was made up largely of residents opposed to the Whitehorse Copper proposal.

He noted council should be taking responsibility for development in a particular area of town and resolving issues that come up around the subdivision.

The matter of Whitehorse Copper has been an extremely tough one for council members, he noted.

While Coun. Dave Stockdale said hopefully the proposed changes would satisfy some concerns of residents, he also noted he felt sick to his stomach in voting on the matter.

'We'll have to see down the road whether this project proves to be the disaster you think it might be,' he told the gallery.

Coun. Bev Buckway pointed out the city has been working toward the project for many years. To simply stop the development is not the way to go, she said.

It's important to follow through or the city gets off-track, she argued, noting the new land parcels would be for the benefit of the majority.

Prior to voting on second and third readings of the rezoning for the area, council heard arguments against the development from Jones, Harvey Jessup and Larry Lebedoff, who have appeared before council on the issue many times previously.

Lebedoff took issue with the consultation and called on the city to return the proposal to the government until it's willing to enter into meaningful dialogue with area residents about the proposal. Jessup and Jones thanked council for the time members spent listening, meeting and touring the area.

They also each brought a few requests if the city did decide to go ahead with the rezoning.

Short of defeating or deferring a decision, Jones asked the city to remove the Meadow Lakes highway access and some of the lots that were proposed.

Jessup also said he'd like to see the 12 lots that Graham later proposed for removal to be gone, as well as the access.

Magnuson said it could be a month before the territory takes the development permit for the subdivision to the city. It's hoped the territory can begin work on the subdivision in the upcoming construction season.