In a move which would seem to follow in the footsteps of community associations across the city, members of the Takhini West Community Association may take the city to court to stop a proposed development in their neighbourhood.

Association president Lori Wellspring said this morning the group is not happy with the way public consultation over the proposed development at 26 Normandy Rd. has been handled.

'The city is trying to shut us out. We're going to file a (Yukon) Supreme Court action,' she said in an interview.

She said residents have felt left out of the loop on several occasions and were left off Monday night's council agenda without being notified.

She said the residents have not been part of the process and were told by a member of council on Aug. 30 that the proposal would go ahead without further negotiations.

Wellspring said the association has contacted a lawyer to put a stop to the development proposal because it believes the proposal violates the Municipal Act.

Dennis Shewfelt, city director of operations, said discussions on the development had been delayed because an issue of highway access for 22 of the proposed 32 units had not been resolved, but that the association had been informed of delays.

'Access from the highway was not agreed to like council thought it was. The amendment involves something that council cannot authorize,' Shewfelt said.

The proposed development calls for 10 homes to have driveways on Normandy Road with the remainder of the units' access being from the Alaska Highway.

The highway is the jurisdiction of the Yukon government which, according to YTG officials, is looking into the matter.

Shewfelt said the city has been experiencing a development boom with an average of 50 or 60 lots being sold four years ago to 120 lots being sold two years ago. The development of new lots in the city to avoid future shortages is necessary, he said.

'With land development, you can't go from raw land to building houses right away; it takes about two years.'

Wellspring said the residents are against the development because it would change the character of the neighbourhood, create safety and parking concerns and impact on the residents quality of life.

'Within Normandy, there are 35 units; this development would double the population of the neighbourhood,' she said.

Wellspring said the residents were agreeing to compromise on the development but that the land developer has not been willing to meet with them.

The developers have declined to identify themselves publicly. They have been represented at council meetings this summer by Ian Robertson of Inukshuk Planning and Design of Whitehorse.