Jan 23, 2023 Council Meetings

[00:00:07]

AND I'LL CALL OUR COUNCIL MEETING FOR MONDAY, JANUARY 23RD, 2023 TO ORDER.

[1. Councillor McLennan will read the Opening Statement.]

THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE ACKNOWLEDGES THAT WE ARE LOCATED IN CHIEF DRYGEESE TERRITORY.

FROM TIME IMMEMORIAL, IT HAS BEEN THE TRADITIONAL LAND OF THE YELLOWKNIFE DENE FIRST NATION.

WE RESPECT THE HISTORIES, LANGUAGE AND CULTURE OF ALL OTHER INDIGENOUS PEOPLES, INCLUDING THE NORTH SLAVE METIS AND ALL FIRST NATIONS METIS AND INUIT, WHOSE PRESENCE CONTINUES TO ENRICH OUR VIBRANT COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU. THERE WERE NO AWARDS CEREMONIES OR PRESENTATIONS FOR THE AGENDA.

MINUTES OF COUNCIL FOR THE REGULAR MEETING OF MONDAY, JANUARY 9TH, 2023 ARE PRESENTED FOR ADOPTION.

[Items 3 & 4]

SORRY, THE LINK IS JUST TAKING ME TO JANUARY 9TH.

I'M JUST.

THE MINUTES OF COUNCIL FOR THE REGULAR MEETING OF MONDAY, JANUARY 9TH, 2023, BE PRESENTED FOR ADOPTION.

THANK YOU. AND JUST TO NOTE THAT THERE'S A LITTLE THERE WAS AN AMENDMENT WE HAD DIDN'T INCLUDE THE THREE NAMES FOR THE GRANT REVIEW COMMITTEE, SO THAT WAS UPDATED THIS AFTERNOON. DO I HAVE A SECONDER? COUNCILLOR PAYNE ANY FURTHER ERRORS OR OMISSIONS? SEEING NONE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.

AND THAT CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.

NEXT, WE HAVE DISCLOSURE OF PECUNIARY INTERESTS IN THE GENERAL NATURE THEREOF.

DOES ANY MEMBER HAVE A PECUNIARY INTEREST IN ANY MATTER BEFORE COUNCIL TONIGHT? SEEING NONE. THERE WAS NO CORRESPONDENCE, NOR WERE THERE ANY PETITIONS FOR THE AGENDA.

THERE WERE NO STATUTORY PUBLIC HEARINGS FOR THE AGENDA.

AND NEXT, WE HAVE DELEGATIONS PERTAINING TO ITEMS ON THE AGENDA, AND WE HAVE HAD THREE EXTRA SPEAKERS, SO WE'LL NEED A MOTION TO ADD THEM TO THE AGENDA.

SO THE FIRST MOTION IS THE COUNCIL HEAR DELEGATION FOR MR. ALLEN ERLICH.

REGARDING THE RESIDENTIAL INFILL AND DENSIFICATION DEVELOPMENT PLANNING PROCESS TO CREATE NEW RESIDENTIAL LOTS FOR DEVELOPMENT.

MOVED BY COUNCILLOR FEQUET SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN.

ANYBODY OPPOSED? SEEING NONE. HE WILL BE ADDED.

NEXT, WE HAVE THE MOTION REGARDING A HEARING, A DELEGATION FROM MISS MARJORIE [INAUDIBLE] ON THE SAME SUBJECT, MOVED BY COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN, SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR WARBURTON.

ANYBODY OPPOSED? SEEING NONE.

AND THEN WE HAVE A MOTION TO HEAR A DELEGATION FROM MISS JANET ST PIERRE REGARDING THE SAME TOPIC.

MOVED BY DEPUTY MAYOR ARDEN-SMITH SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR FEQUET.

ANYBODY OPPOSED? SEEING NONE AGAIN.

ANYBODY FURTHER THAT WANTED TO SPEAK TO THAT TONIGHT? SEEING NONE.

SO WE WILL MOVE ON TO START OFF WITH A PRESENTATION FOR MR.

[Item 8]

JEREMY, IF YOU WANT TO COME ON UP TO THE MIC AND I WILL READ THE RULES FOR EVERYBODY ALL AT ONCE AND WE WON'T GO THROUGH IT EVERY TIME.

SO ALL DELEGATIONS SHALL ADDRESS THE REMARKS DIRECTLY TO MYSELF, THE PRESIDING OFFICER, AND SHALL NOT POSE QUESTIONS TO INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OR ADMINISTRATION OR DEVIATE FROM THE TOPIC OF THEIR PRESENTATION.

EACH PRESENTER SHALL BE AFFORDED 5 MINUTES TO MAKE THEIR PRESENTATION.

TIME ALLOWED TO THE PRESENTER MAY BE EXTENDED BY UP TO 2 MINUTES BY SPECIAL RESOLUTION OF COUNCIL.

AFTER SPOKEN AFTER A PERSON HAS SPOKEN, ANY COUNCIL MEMBER MAY THROUGH MYSELF, ASK THAT PERSON OR THE CITY MANAGER RELEVANT QUESTIONS.

NO DEBATE SHALL BE PERMITTED ON ANY DELEGATION TO COUNCIL, EITHER BETWEEN MEMBERS OR WITH AN INDIVIDUAL MAKING A PRESENTATION.

AND WHEN MAKING A PRESENTATION, NO PERSON SHALL ONE SPEAK DISRESPECTFULLY OF THE CROWN, ANY MEMBER OF COUNCIL, THE PUBLIC, OR AN EMPLOYEE OF THE CITY.

TWO USE OFFENSIVE LANGUAGE.

THREE MAKE PERSONAL REMARKS ABOUT ANY MEMBER OF COUNCIL, THE PUBLIC, OR AN EMPLOYEE OF THE CITY.

FOUR REFLECT UPON THE MOTIVES OF MEMBERS WHO MAY HAVE VOTED FOR A PARTICULAR MOTION.

FIVE REFLECT UPON THE MOTIVES OF ADVICE GIVEN TO COUNCIL BY ADMINISTRATION.

AND SIX REFUSE TO COMPLY WITH THE DECISION OF MYSELF REGARDING ANY INTERPRETATION OF THIS BYLAW.

SO WITH THAT, IF YOU WANT TO JUST PRESS THE BUTTON AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND THE FLOOR IS OVER TO YOU.

GOOD EVENING YOUR WORSHIP, COUNCIL MEN AND WOMEN.

A PLEASURE TO BE HERE. I'M JEREMY MACDONALD, A 12 YEAR RESIDENT OF YELLOWKNIFE.

HOPE TO RETIRE HERE SOMEDAY AND STAY HERE FOREVER.

SPEAKING TONIGHT ON THE MEMORANDUM TO COMMITTEE FOR THE GOVERNANCE AND PRIORITIES, SPECIFICALLY TALKING ABOUT INFILL AND DENSIFICATION.

I WOULD LIKE TO START WITH MY SUMMARY.

SO IF I GET CUT OFF, IT'S ALREADY ON RECORD.

MY POINTS TONIGHT ARE NUMBER ONE, WE NEED TO PROTECT THE TRAILS IN NIVEN.

NUMBER TWO, THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS ON MILE DRIVE THAT I THINK NEED TO BE ADDRESSED BEFORE THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY

[00:05:08]

POINT NUMBER THREE TRAFFIC AND PARKING DENSITY NEED REVIEW NIVEN.

NUMBER FOUR, HAVING GONE THROUGH THE DOCUMENTATION OF SEVERAL YEARS AND PREVIOUS DECADES WORTH OF PLANS, I WOULD LOVE TO CHALLENGE THE CITY TO STOP USING UNREALISTIC RULES OR PREVIOUS BYLAWS TO JUSTIFY BAD DECISIONS, SPECIFICALLY TALKING ABOUT PARKING AND INFILL.

AND I'LL GET TO THAT IN DETAIL.

SPECIFICALLY ABOUT INFILL YOUR WORSHIP.

I WOULD LOVE TO SAY I'VE I'VE WATCHED A NUMBER OF PEOPLE TALK ABOUT NOT WANTING INFILL, NOT WANTING DENSIFICATION.

ON ONE HAND THAT WOULD SEEM TO BE NOT IN MY BACKYARD.

AND I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE THAT FEELING.

BUT I WOULD ENCOURAGE TO SAY MAYBE CONSIDER THAT THE AGGREGATE OF THOSE COMPLAINTS IS THAT PEOPLE DON'T WANT INFILL.

PEOPLE DON'T WANT DENSIFICATION.

THEY WANT MORE OPEN SPACE.

AND I'LL CARRY ON TO EXPLAIN SOME OF THESE POINTS.

SPECIFICALLY IN PHASE EIGHT, I LIVE JUST BELOW THE HILL IN BELOW ZONE ONE AS IDENTIFIED IN THIS MAP.

SPECIFICALLY FOR THE ZONING I NOTICED THE DEVELOPMENT OFFICER'S REPORT SIX MONTHS AGO SAID THAT NIVEN PHASE EIGHT WAS NOT ON THE PRIORITY LIST TO BE DEVELOPED.

THAT WAS INCLUDED IN RESPONSE TO NIVEN CITIZENS CONCERNS ABOUT PARKING AND TRAFFIC DENSITY.

I JUST FIND IT UNFORTUNATE THAT IN A SIX MONTH PERIOD IN ONE DECISION, IT'S USED TO SAY, NO, WE DON'T NEED TO LOOK AT DENSIFICATION, AND NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DENSIFICATION.

SPECIFICALLY THIS AREA, THE ZONES AROUND THE GROWTH MANAGEMENT ZONE AND PREVIOUSLY URBAN RESERVE.

WE HAVE PARKS, PUBLIC SPACE, NATURE, PRESERVE LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL AND MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL.

I NOTICED THE ORIGINAL INTENSE LOOKING AT NIVEN LAKE DEVELOPMENT SCHEME 2004.

YOU CAN SEE CLEARLY WHERE THE TRAIL IN THAT PROPERTY IS DEFINED AND STILL WITHIN THE URBAN SPACE OF THE URBAN RESERVE.

IN 2007 THE TRAIL ITSELF, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE HEAD OF THE TRAIL, WAS IDENTIFIED TRAILS AND OPEN SPACES.

SO WE CAN SEE HERE IT LOOKS LIKE PART OF THE TRAIL WAS NOT INCLUDED ON THE EASEMENT.

WHICH IS UNFORTUNATE BECAUSE IT'S A SIGNIFICANT TRAIL USED BY MANY WITHIN THE CITY.

THIS WEEKEND, RANDOM SAMPLING PEOPLE ARE OUT SKIING, WALKING THEIR DOGS, SAW DOG SLEDDERS, MULTIPLE SCREWS GOING THROUGH THAT SPACE.

AND AS THE SKIDOO ASSOCIATION POINTS OUT, THAT THAT IS ONE OF THREE MAIN EXITS FOR THOSE WHO SKIDOO OUT OF THE CITY.

NIVEN CAM LAKE OR UP LONG LAKE.

THIS REZONING YOU SEE THE GREEN LINES ARE WHERE THE TRAILS ACTUALLY ACTUALLY EXIST IN THAT SPACE.

I FEAR THAT NOT INCLUDING THAT TRAILHEAD WAS AN ERROR.

THAT'S THE TRAIL THAT CONNECTS BACK BAY THROUGH NIVEN TO FRAME LAKE.

THERE IS SIGNIFICANT USE IN THERE.

WE NEED TO PROTECT THAT TRAIL.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS FOR MY SECOND POINT.

THESE ARE SOME OF THE SINKHOLES THAT DEVELOP ON MOYLE DRIVE.

THIS IS MY NEIGHBOR'S PROPERTY.

THESE HOLES HAVE BEEN FILLED AT LEAST TWICE.

THERE WAS ANOTHER HOLE FURTHER UP THE ROAD.

OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, WE HAVE NOTICED THAT THERE'S INCREASED CRACKING ALONG THIS ROAD.

THIS PUDDLE HERE IS A PERMANENT FIXTURE IN THE COMMUNITY.

EVEN IN PERIODS WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT RAIN, THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT WATER FEATURE WITHIN MOYLE DRIVE.

THERE'S CLAIRE ATTEMPTING FLY FISHING IN THAT A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.

SEEMED LIKE A GREAT PLACE TO TRY FLY FISHING OUT.

HERE'S A MAP OF MOYLE DRIVE.

THE ARROWS POINT TO AREAS WHERE THERE ARE NEW PUDDLES DEVELOPING.

YOU CAN SEE ON THE ZOOM IN PICTURE, THAT IS THE PUDDLE THAT IS CURRENTLY A FIXTURE THERE.

THERE'S WATER COMING FROM SOMEPLACE, GOING SOMEPLACE AND DOING SO THAT IT'S SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH TO REMOVE A LOT OF GRAVEL THAT'S BEEN REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES. I WOULD ALSO POINT OUT THAT MYSELF, MY HOUSE IS NOW ON PLATFORMS. IT'S TILTING INTO THE ROAD.

SO THE PLATFORMS AT THE BACK OF MY HOUSE, I'M NOW TWO INCHES ABOVE CONNECTING I'M NOT TOUCHING THOSE PLATFORMS ANYMORE.

MY NEIGHBOR ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD, HIS IS POINTING DOWN THE OTHER DIRECTION.

WE'LL TAKE 2 SECONDS.

MOTION TO EXTEND FOR 2 MINUTES.

MOVED BY COUNCILLOR WARBURTON SECOND BY COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN.

ANYBODY OPPOSED? SEEING NONE. YOU CAN CONTINUE.

THANKS, MA'AM. ISSUE TWO ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS.

ANY DEVELOPMENT UPHILL OF MOYLE DRIVE IS GOING TO IMPACT THE WATER FLOWS.

[00:10:04]

THIS IS GOING TO INCREASE UNTIL WE IDENTIFY AND FIX AND REMEDIATE WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE WATER.

I WOULD RECOMMEND NO DEVELOPMENT THERE.

TRAFFIC AND PARKING.

YEAH, TRAFFIC IS A GONG SHOW ALONG MOYLE DRIVE.

AND AGAIN, SEEING THE APPEALS AND THE RESPONSES TO THAT TO SAY, HEY, YEAH, WE CAN'T APPEAL THIS BECAUSE IT'S, YOU KNOW, THE PLANNING FIGURES WERE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE BYLAW ON PARKING AND ZONING.

IT'S NOT SUFFICIENT.

YOU KNOW, EVERYONE WILL COMPLAIN THERE'S NOT ENOUGH PARKING IN THIS TOWN.

GO TO ANY SMALL COMMUNITY WITH MEDIUM OR HIGH DENSITY AND YOU'RE GOING TO SEE VEHICLES AND SPORTS, RECREATIONAL VEHICLES SPREAD ALL OVER THE PLACE.

THAT REALLY NEEDS TO BE REVIEWED TO REFLECT THE USE OF THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY.

INFILL AND DENSIFICATION.

YEAH, LOTS OF BENEFITS OF INFILL, BUT A LOT OF THINGS THAT SUCK TAKES AWAY GREEN SPACE.

YOU KNOW, THE GREEN SPACE IN THAT PROPERTY THAT'S ZONED, IT'S FULL OF TREES.

SO IF YOU WANT TO BUILD THERE.

IF ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF INFILL IS TO SAVE GREENHOUSE GASES, YOU'RE GOING TO CUT DOWN ACRES OF TREES TO DO THAT.

YOU CAN'T HAVE BOTH SIDES OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS.

YEAH, A LOT OF PEOPLE OBJECT.

PEOPLE DON'T WANT INFILL.

PEOPLE WANT MORE SPACE.

LOOKING AT THE OLD LAWS RELATED TO NIVEN, THERE WAS PROMISES OF MOORINGS AND SHORE ACCESS AND PLAYGROUNDS WOULD LOVE TO SEE THOSE COME BACK.

PROTECT THE GREEN SPACES.

SUMMARY PLEASE REMOVE THAT LOT FOR CONSIDERATION FOR INFILL.

THERE ARE WATER ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE RESOLVED.

PARKING ANALYSIS NEEDS TO BE DONE AND KEEP THE GREEN SPACES.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, YOUR WORSHIP.

THAT'S IMPRESSIVE. I THOUGHT 25 SLIDES WAS GOING TO BE TOUGH, BUT 7 MINUTES ON THE DOT.

WITH THAT OPENING UP COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN.

THANKS VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION AND THE ENGAGEMENT COMING AND SPEAKING.

IT'S MUCH APPRECIATED. I'M JUST WONDERING, SO A LOT OF THESE CONCERNS, SORT OF THE WATER, THE TRAIL ACCESS TRAFFIC ARE THINGS THAT WOULD BE ADDRESSED AS PART OF THE REZONING PROCESS.

CAN YOU ENVISION DEVELOPMENT IN THIS AREA THAT WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE OR NO DEVELOPMENT EVER ? YOU KNOW, IF YOU GO BACK TO THAT SPACE, IT'S SIGNIFICANT GREEN SPACE.

BUT THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE LIFE IS BEDROCK.

THE GREEN SPACES ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN.

YOU'RE TAKING IT AWAY. BUILD ON THE ROCKS.

SURE. AS LONG AS IT DOESN'T AFFECT DRAINAGE OR WATER.

I THINK THERE'S OTHER AREAS IN AN AREA, A SPECIFIC SPOT, A TRAIL THAT'S USED BY SO MANY SKYDIVERS, SKIERS, DOG WALKERS.

IT'S A BIT OF GREEN SPACE THAT'S USED BY MANY.

I WOULDN'T RECOMMEND DEVELOPMENT IN THERE.

AND WHO WOULD WANT TO BUILD NEXT TO A TRAIL WHERE A BUNCH OF [INAUDIBLE] ARE GOING PAST? I WOULDN'T RECOMMEND.

THANKS AGAIN FOR COMING IN. THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE PRESENTER, COUNCILLOR FEQUET? THANKS, JEREMY. I GUESS, YEAH.

JUST A QUESTION TO BUILD OFF TOM'S KNOWING THAT.

I'M NEW TO THIS PROCESS AND I'VE LEARNED THAT THE PROCESS IS THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE WORK DONE TO LOOK AT REZONING.

AND THROUGH THAT PROCESS, PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT IS REQUIRED PART OF THAT FOR OBVIOUS REASONS.

DO YOU THINK, OR ARE YOU ARE YOU CONCERNED THAT THAT PROCESS WILL NOT ALLOW RESIDENTS TO BE ABLE TO DISCUSS TRAFFIC, PARKING TRAILS, ALL OF THESE REALLY IMPORTANT FEATURES THAT WE WE DO WANT TO MAINTAIN IN THE CITY? JEREMY.

SURE I HONESTLY BELIEVE THAT AT SOME POINTS BUREAUCRACIES GET MOMENTUM.

THEY GO TO A PLACE AND IT JUST HAPPENS THAT WHAT WE SAY WE WANT TO DO IS GOING TO HAPPEN REGARDLESS OF WHAT CITIZENS.

I WOULD LOVE TO BELIEVE THAT THE OBJECTIONS THAT PEOPLE ARE BRINGING FORWARD CAN BE HEARD AND ACTED UPON.

YOU KNOW, WE DO ABSOLUTELY NEED DEVELOPMENT IN THIS TOWN.

LOOKING AT THE CENTURY 21 BLOG THE OTHER DAY, ADRIAN BELL HAD NOTED THERE'S 500 RENTAL OR UNITS COMING AVAILABLE WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR OR SO.

I MEAN, THERE IS DEVELOPMENT HAPPENING THAT WILL ADDRESS SOME OF THE SHORTAGES.

BUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE SAY THERE'S A MASSIVE GREEN SPACE TO THE SOUTH OF THE CITY OR GROWTH MANAGEMENT SPACE TO THE SOUTH OF THE CITY WE COULD BUILD ON.

I THINK THERE'S OTHER PLACES WE CAN LOOK.

YOU KNOW, I FULLY UNDERSTAND IF THE KEY ISSUE IS TO CUT DOWN ON THE COST OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE KNOW, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT IF THE CITY IS CURRENTLY IN A PROJECT TO REPLACE THE WATER MAIN FOR AN INCREMENTAL COST, IN ADDITION TO THAT PROJECT, YOU CAN ADD AN ARM TO SERVICE A NEW AREA.

SO YOU'RE ALREADY REPLACING A KEY PIECE OF INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIRED THAT COULD POINT IN ANOTHER DIRECTION.

[00:15:07]

THANKS AGAIN, JEREMY, FOR COMING IN.

[Item 9]

SAME RULES. I WON'T READ THEM ALL THROUGH AGAIN.

SO 5 MINUTES.

AND IF YOU JUST WANT TO PUSH THE BUTTON WHEN YOU'RE READY.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SHARE SOME OF MY CONCERNS FOR PROPOSED REZONING OF THE SAME SITE HE'S TALKING ABOUT.

SO MY NAME IS CLAIRE MENNELL.

I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF YELLOWKNIFE FOR NINE YEARS.

I MOVED HERE AFTER VISITING AND FALLING IN LOVE WITH TWO SPECIFIC FEATURES TO YELLOWKNIFE, AND THAT WAS THE INCREDIBLE, VAST, UNDEVELOPED SKYLINES AND THE ACCESS TO YEAR ROUND NATURE AND NATURE AND TRAILS IN OUR BACKYARDS.

I MOVED FROM THE COUNTRY IN SOUTH OKANAGAN, FINDING A HOME THAT HAD PRIVACY AND AN EASY ACCESS TO NATURE WAS AN IMPORTANT FACTOR TO KEEP ME HERE LONG TERM AWAY FROM MY FAMILY. AND I'VE WATCHED THESE BEAUTIFUL SKYLINES I FELL IN LOVE WITH BE SLOWLY ERODED, AND THIS SCARES ME FOR, HONESTLY, WHAT MY FIVE YEAR PLAN LOOKS LIKE HERE.

I BOUGHT MY FIRST HOME ON MOYLE DRIVE EIGHT YEARS AGO AFTER SEARCHING LONG AND HARD FOR A PROPERTY THAT HAD PRIVACY AND HAD ACCESS TO NATURE.

THE ROCKS BEHIND OUR HOMES ON MOYLE ARE A PLAYGROUND FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOOD CHILDREN AND US ADULTS AND HAVE BEEN FOR YEARS.

WE PICNIC ON THOSE ROCKS.

WE WATCHED THE NORTHERN LIGHTS FROM THOSE ROCKS AND WE LOOK AWAY FROM THE CITY AND RELAX AFTER WORK ON THOSE ROCKS.

CONVERSION OF THIS LAND TO DEVELOPMENT WOULD FURTHER REMOVE GREEN SPACE IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND THAT IS INTEGRAL FOR OUR HAPPINESS AND WELL BEING HERE AS YOUNG FAMILIES.

I'M SCARED THAT THE DEVELOPMENT ON THE ROCKS WILL ERASE THE AFTERNOON SUN FROM OUR YARDS AND STAY IN THAT BEAUTIFUL ROCKY SKYLINE WE ENJOY.

THE ROCKS CANNOT GROW BACK IN THIS CITY, NOR CAN WE PLANT TREES TO BLOCK OUT ANY DEVELOPMENT ON THOSE ROCKS.

I LOVE GARDENING.

WE JUST BUILT GARDEN BEDS IN OUR BACKYARD THAT RELY SOLELY ON THAT AFTERNOON SUN.

I BUILT OUR NEIGHBOR'S GARDEN BOXES THAT RELY ON THE AFTERNOON SUN, AND I TAUGHT MY NEIGHBOR AND HER DAUGHTER HOW TO GARDEN.

AND WE SHARE OUR VEGGIES WITH MULTIPLE PEOPLE ON OUR STREET.

THESE ARE EXAMPLES OF THE BEAUTIFUL SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND THE IMPORTANCE OF CONSIDERING MULTIPLE FACTORS, NOT JUST THE SATELLITE IMAGE WHEN LOOKING AT PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT.

FOOD SECURITY IS IMPORTANT IN THE NORTH AND THE CITY'S 2019 GROW STRATEGY ENCOURAGES RESIDENTS TO GROW FOOD IN THEIR BACKYARDS.

SUNLIGHT, AS WE KNOW, IS INTEGRAL FOR BACKYARD GARDENS TO FLOURISH.

DENSIFICATION WILL DECREASE SUN EXPOSURE FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE THEIR GARDENS NEAR PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT.

THE MULTI-USE TRAIL BESIDE 109 MOYLE DRIVE THAT EXTENDS TO BACK BAY IS FREQUENTLY USED BY RESIDENTS OF YELLOWKNIFE.

WE CHOSE TO LIVE IN NIVEN BECAUSE OF ACCESS TO NATURE.

IF I WANTED TO BE SURROUNDED ON ALL SIDES BY HOUSES, I WOULD CHOOSE TO DO SO CLOSER TO MY FAMILY.

AND THAT IS REALITY.

WE CHOOSE TO LIVE HERE BECAUSE WE CAN SKI, WALK AND SNOWMOBILE IN OUR BACKYARD.

THERE IS A POND JUST BEHIND MOYLE DRIVE THAT MULTIPLE FAMILIES AND NIVEN HELPED CLEAR FOR HOCKEY IN THE WINTER.

FAMILIES MEET THERE TO PLAY POND HOCKEY, INCLUDING HEADLAMP HOCKEY IN THE DARK AND YES, ICE CROQUET IN THE WINTER.

WEIRD I KNOW.

THE SENSE OF COMMUNITY IN NIVEN IS BEAUTIFUL AND SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO PROTECT AND AND SHOULD BE NOURISHED.

I HAVE BEEN ANXIOUS ABOUT THIS DEVELOPMENT, WHAT THIS DEVELOPMENT MEANS FOR OUR HOMES.

I'M NERVOUS WHAT BLASTING WOULD DO TO MANY OF THE HOMES THAT SIT AT THE BASE OF THE ROCKS ON WOOD PILINGS AND GRAVEL PADS.

CERTAINLY THIS NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERED WHEN LOOKING AT REZONING AND THE EFFECTS THE DEVELOPMENT MAY HAVE ON EXISTING HOMES IN THE AREA THAT ARE ON GRAVEL PADS.

MORE IMPORTANTLY, AS JEREMY HIGHLIGHTED, THAT ROAD ON MOYLE DRIVE NEAR SITE RUN ALREADY HAS MAJOR DRAINAGE PROBLEMS WITH THE PUDDLE THAT IS PRESENT THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER DESPITE WEEKS OF NO RAIN.

RAIN FLOWS DOWN MOYLE DRIVE IN RIVERS NOW AND IT'S SEEMINGLY WORSENING BY EVERY YEAR THE WATER GETS PUSHED INTO PEOPLE'S DRIVEWAYS, ERODES AND IT BECOMES A CASCADING PROBLEM WITH EVERY RAINFALL.

THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT THE CITY HAS BEEN AWARE OF FOR YEARS AND LITTLE HAS BEEN DONE.

I AM NERVOUS THAT FURTHER UPHILL DEVELOPMENT ON THE ROCKS BEHIND OUR HOUSE IS JUST GOING TO RESULT ON MORE WATER FLOWING DOWN INTO ALL OF OUR GRAVEL PADS, FURTHER SATURATING MOYLE DRIVE, A PROBLEM THAT COULD POTENTIALLY HAVE DEVASTATING EFFECTS FOR THE HOMES IN THE AREA.

AND IT'S FINE I'VE HEARD THE CITY SAY THAT THIS WAS ALWAYS PART OF THE PLAN, BUT WAS THE SATURATED GROUND, THE DRAINAGE PROBLEMS AND THE HOMES ON GRAVEL PADS AT THE BOTTOM OF MOYLE DRIVE ALSO INCLUDED IN THAT PLAN BECAUSE YOU CANNOT LOOK AT ONE WITHOUT CONSIDERATION FOR THE OTHER.

I TRULY UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR HOUSING IN THE CITY.

I'M NOT HERE TO STOMP MY FOOT AND SAY NO.

I ASKED THAT THE CITY COOPERATE WITH THE NEIGHBORHOODS TO COMPROMISE ON PROTECTING OUR PRECIOUS GREEN SPACE, GREEN SPACE SKYLINES, SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND THE

[00:20:07]

I ASKED THAT CITY COUNCIL CONSIDER MAKING THE ROCKS, THE SNOWMOBILE TRAIL, THE POND BEHIND MOYLE DRIVE, A DEVELOPMENT FREE ZONE, MUCH LIKE THE LAND ZONED PR SEEN ELSEWHERE IN NIVEN, SUCH AS BETWEEN HAYNER, DRISCOLL AND DUART, AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY GARDENS.

IF WE MADE THE ROCKS AND TRAIL PR ZONE, WE WOULD PROTECT THE EXISTING GREEN SPACE AND HOMES AND THIS WOULD STILL ALLOW FOR A PORTION BEHIND THE ROCKS IN THE FLAT AREA, CLOSER TO THE HIGHWAY, TO POTENTIALLY HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF DEVELOPMENT ON IT.

I. SORRY.

I'VE LOST MY PLACE.

JUST GOT A MOTION TO EXTEND BEYOND COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN.

CA MCGURK. COUNCILLOR MCGURK.

ANYBODY OPPOSED? SEEING NONE.

I HAVE A LETTER CONTAINING OVER 50 SIGNATURES FROM PEOPLE AROUND NIVEN AND SOME TRAIL USERS THAT SUPPORT THE PROTECTION OF THIS LAND AS PR ZONE.

PAGE TWO OF THE LETTER HIGHLIGHTS IN BLACK THE AREA THAT WE WOULD LIKE THE CITY TO PROTECT.

WE COLLECTIVELY CAN SUPPORT HOUSING WHILE MAINTAINING THE VERY UNIQUE FEATURES THAT MAKE YELLOWKNIFE SPECIAL AND WORTH LIVING IN LONG TERM.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

AM I ALLOWED TO BRING THIS LETTER UP OR.

YEAH. AND IF YOU WANT, YOU CAN GIVE IT TO MR. MR. COLE. I DON'T KNOW.

DOES THIS. DO THEY WANT TO? DO YOU GUYS WANT TO SEE WHAT WE'LL DO? WE'LL. WE'LL GIVE IT TO COLE, AND THEN HE'LL PUT IT IN.

AND IF IT'S ACCEPTABLE TO YOU, WE'D ALSO ADD IT AS AN ADDENDUM TO THE CITY'S WEBSITE SO THAT THE PUBLIC CAN ALSO VIEW IT.

I THINK WHAT SCARES ME AND A LOT OF PEOPLE IS WHEN WE SEE THAT, LIKE I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S FURTHER ENGAGEMENT AND YOU CAN REMAIN BEING ENGAGED.

BUT IN MY NINE YEARS HERE, I DO TEND TO SEE THAT IT GETS TO A POINT AND I DON'T FEEL THAT PEOPLE ARE HEARD.

AND I DO THINK WE NEED TO KEEP YELLOWKNIFE SPECIAL BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT KEEPS PEOPLE HERE.

PEOPLE HERE HAVE JOBS WE CAN DO ANYWHERE IN CANADA, AND THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING THAT MAKES US WANT TO STAY HERE BECAUSE I MISS MY FAMILY.

BUT I ALSO LOVE IT HERE.

SO I JUST THINK IF WE CAN, BEFORE IT GOES TO THAT, SAY LIKE, HEY, WE CAN GUARANTEE WE ARE GOING TO PROTECT THIS, THIS SPOT AND THEN WHATEVER YOU WANT TO REZONE THE OTHER SPOT.

HAVE AT HER, BUT JUST SOME ASSURANCES.

THANK YOU. AND IF THE LETTER HAS ANY ADDRESSES, WE ALWAYS REMOVE THAT JUST BEFORE WE POST ONLINE.

QUESTIONS FOR THE PRESENTER.

COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN.

YEAH. THANKS FOR COMING IN AND BEING ENGAGED AND SHARING YOUR THOUGHTS.

SO THAT IF THAT AREA WAS PROTECTED, SEEING DEVELOPMENT SORT OF ON THE NORTHWEST SIDE WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE.

ANY SORT OF HEIGHT RESTRICTIONS OR THOUGHTS ON WHAT THAT WOULD BE? SO SO ULTIMATELY, THOSE ROCKS ARE VERY SPECIAL TO ME AND I'M NOT GOING TO GO INTO DETAIL AS TO WHY, BECAUSE I WILL START TO CRY.

I'VE HAD A VERY HARD LAST TWO YEARS AND I WOULD GO ON THOSE ROCKS AND I WOULD LOOK AWAY FROM THE CITY AND YOU JUST SEE TREES AND YOU SEE THE SUNSET.

AND SO IF WE CAN PRESERVE THAT, LIKE, I JUST THINK WE ARE WE ARE ERODING WHAT MAKES.

I GREW UP IN A VALLEY IN B.C.

AND IT WAS TREES. I REMEMBER COMING UP HERE THE FIRST TIME AND IT WAS JUST THIS SKYLINE AS FAR AS YOU COULD SEE OF THESE BEAUTIFUL LITTLE WOBBLY TREES THAT I LOVE AND ADORE. AND WE TAKE THOSE DOWN.

THOSE ARE LIKE THOSE ARE OLD TREES AND THEY TAKE FOREVER TO GROW.

AND SO IT'S LIKE IF WE CAN MAINTAIN THAT COMMUNITY HOUSEHOLD FEELING OF NIVEN, THAT IS WHAT I ULTIMATELY WANT.

LIKE THESE HIGH DENSITY PEOPLE JAMMED ON TOP OF EACH OTHER.

IT'S JUST LIKE BECOMING TOO MUCH AND.

IT'S NOT WHAT IT USED TO BE.

I'VE WATCHED NIVEN EVOLVE IN THE NINE YEARS I'VE BEEN THERE, AND IT'S IT'S NOTHING THAT I REALLY REMEMBER.

AND I DON'T THINK IT'S NECESSARILY GOING IN A PLACE THAT I LOVE, WHICH IS UNFORTUNATE.

YEAH. THANKS FOR THOSE THOUGHTS? YEAH. AND I UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS AND SEEKING OF ASSURANCE ON WHAT WILL HAPPEN DOWN THE LINE.

JUST LIKE TO LIKE THIS IS THE VERY START OF A PROCESS AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY SAY HERE IN SETTING ASIDE AREAS OR THIS IS LITERALLY JUST TO GIVE GO AHEAD TO SAY WE CAN START THE PROCESS.

SO I KNOW, I KNOW IT'S HARD TO STAY ENGAGED AND STAY THERE, BUT THAT WILL COME DOWN THE LINE AND LOVE TO SEE YOU STAY MAKING THESE ARGUMENTS AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE PROCESS. I KNOW IT'S A LONG AND TEDIOUS ONE.

IT'S JUST HOW GOVERNMENT WORKS.

IT SHOULDN'T BE ARGUMENTS, THOUGH.

IT'S NOT NOT ARGUMENTS.

[00:25:01]

IT'S COLLABORATION, NOT ARGUMENTS.

THAT'S HOW WE BECOME A BEAUTIFUL CITY.

THANK YOU. COUNCILLOR MCGURK.

HI. YEAH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING.

I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS.

I GREW UP ON TIN CAN AND SO I UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF LIKE SITTING ON THE ROCK IS A SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE.

I GUESS I'M WONDERING IF DRAINAGE ISSUES AND WATER POOLING IS, IS A IS A CONCERN IF THE DEVELOPMENT IN THE SPACE COULD BE AS THIS IS ONE OPPORTUNITY THAT CAN BE ADDRESSED THROUGH DEVELOPMENT IS IS IS WATER WATER REDIRECTION.

IF THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS LIKE INCENTIVIZES YOUR INTEREST IN IN LOOKING AT ZONING OR OPENING THAT AREA TO DEVELOPMENT.

NO. NO, NO.

IT IS LIKE JUST A BAD IDEA.

OKAY. UH, TOTALLY NOT.

SAME QUESTION, BUT I GUESS.

WHAT? AS I THINK TOM OR COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN WAS ALLUDING TO, WOULD THINGS LIKE HEIGHT RESTRICTIONS OR ESTHETIC PROVISIONS HELP TO SORT OF ALLEVIATE CONCERNS AROUND USING THAT AREA? LIKE I SAID, IF I WANTED HOUSES ON ALL FOUR SIDES OF ME, I COULD LIVE CLOSER TO MY FAMILY.

SO DEVELOPING ON THE ROCKS, ALL OF THOSE HOUSES ARE IMPLICATED AS WELL AS THE HOUSES ACROSS THE STREET.

SO. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE PRESENTER? SEEING NONE.

THANKS AGAIN, CLAIRE, FOR FOR COMING TONIGHT.

NEXT, WE HAVE ALLEN.

ALLEN IF YOU WANT TO COME ON UP TO THE PODIUM.

THANK YOU YOUR WORSHIP AND COUNCIL MEMBERS I'VE LIVED IN OLD TOWN FOR 24 WINTERS, AND I'M TALKING ABOUT THAT LITTLE BLOCK.

I THINK IT'S A LOT 15 BLOCK, 78 SOMETHING BLOCK 77 A WHICH IS ACROSS FROM THE CONSTRUCTION THAT'S THAT'S HAPPENING THERE NOW.

SO I KNOW IT'S BEING CONSIDERED AS A POSSIBLE INFILL.

I KNOW IT'S A SMALL AREA.

I WANTED TO EMPHASIZE TO YOU THAT THAT FOR ME AND FOR MANY OTHER RESIDENTS OF WILLOW FLATS, THE COMMUNITY I'M AN ACTIVE PART OF THAT IS MORE THAN JUST A VACANT AREA.

AND THERE ARE PARTICULARLY FIVE REASONS I REALLY WANT TO EMPHASIZE.

ONE OF THEM IS THAT THE AREA HAS TWO VERY PRETTY LITTLE TRAILS THAT ARE USED AND MAINTAINED BY THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

SO IT'S THIS LITTLE FOREST CORRIDOR, BUT BECAUSE OF ITS LOCATION, IT LINKS THE COMMUNITY OF WILLOW FLATS TO THE PATHS AND THE BOARDWALK IN ROTARY PARK . AS WELL MY WIFE AND I AND MANY OF MY NEIGHBORS ENJOY WALKING OUR DOGS THERE EVERY SINGLE DAY.

AND THAT'S WHERE WE MEET AND TALK AND [INAUDIBLE].

IN THE SUMMER THE NEIGHBORHOOD KIDS BIKE THERE AND THERE'S A LOT OF MOUNTAIN BIKING DOWN THERE.

I'VE ALSO SEEN LOTS OF PARENTS FROM OTHER PARTS OF YELLOWKNIFE DRIVE THEIR KIDS THERE BECAUSE IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO MOUNTAIN BIKE.

AND THIS WAS A GODSEND, PARTICULARLY DURING THE COVID LOCKDOWN, BECAUSE IT CONNECTS TO A BIRD SANCTUARY IN WILLOW FLATS.

THIS AREA IS USED BY MANY BIRD SPECIES, INCLUDING FOR NESTING, AND THAT INCLUDES SEVERAL SPECIES THAT ARE RARELY SEEN ELSEWHERE IN YELLOWKNIFE.

AND WE HAVE ONE NEIGHBOR WHO LOVES THE AREA SO MUCH THAT SHE DECORATES THE TRAILS WITH DOZENS OF ARTISTIC ORNAMENTS THAT SHE MAKES BY HAND OUT OF ICE AND BERRIES EVERY SPRING.

IT'S LIKE A LOVE LETTER TO A LITTLE AREA, AND MANY PEOPLE COME AND ENJOY SEEING THAT.

MY POINT IS THAT THIS THIS GORGEOUS LITTLE AREA PROVIDES MANY BENEFITS TO THE MEMBERS OF WILLOW FLATS, AS WELL AS LOCAL BIRDS AND WILDLIFE AND WHATNOT.

IT'S MUCH MORE THAN A VACANT PLACE.

IN TERMS OF THE CONTEXT, I SAID IT'S ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE CONSTRUCTION SITE, THE MARINOVICH BUILDING THAT'S GOING UP IN TERMS OF HISTORY. MYSELF AND SOME OTHER NEIGHBORS HAVE ARGUED BEFORE THE DEVELOPMENT APPEAL BOARD AGAINST A VARIANCE THAT WAS REQUESTED FOR THAT, AND LOTS OF RESIDENTS OF WILLOW FLATS DIDN'T REALLY SUPPORT THAT SCALE OF DEVELOPMENT IN OLD TOWN.

NOW IT TURNS OUT I FOUND OUT FROM THAT THAT OLD TOWN STOPS ARE THE CENTER LINE OF OF SCHOOL DRAW.

OBVIOUSLY. BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF WEIRD.

A LOT OF PEOPLE STILL HAVE SOME HARD FEELINGS ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF ONE OF THE BIGGEST BUILDINGS IN YELLOWKNIFE RIGHT THERE.

MY POINT IS THAT FOR LOTS OF RESIDENTS OF WILLOW FLATS, INCLUDING ME, OPENING UP THIS LITTLE AREA TO DEVELOPMENT FEELS LIKE THE CITY IS KIND OF ADDING INSULT TO TO INJURY. NOW THERE'S TWO POINTS.

ONE OF THEM IS THIS IS A SPECIAL AREA, BUT THE OTHER ONE IS THAT THAT THERE'S A CUMULATIVE EFFECT GOING ON THERE.

RIGHT. OLD TOWN'S CHARACTER IS ABOUT THIS, WHICH THE CITY PLAN SAYS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ALL OF YELLOWKNIFE.

[00:30:03]

AND, YOU KNOW, THE THE [INAUDIBLE] BUILDING, OF COURSE, IS GOING TO DIMINISH IT.

BUT ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET, BY THE WAY, ACROSS THAT LINE I DESCRIBED IS GOING TO CUMULATIVELY ADD TO THAT DIMINISHMENT IN A WAY THAT PARTICULARLY STINGS THAT CHARACTER OF OLD TOWN DOESN'T GET DESTROYED OVERNIGHT.

IT GETS ERODED AWAY JUST BIT BY BIT IN A SERIES OF TINY DECISIONS.

BUT WHEN IT'S GONE, WE'RE GOING TO MISS IT.

AND THIS IS EXACTLY ONE OF THOSE KINDS OF DECISIONS.

SO TO SUM UP, IF AN AREA IS CLEARLY UNSUITABLE FOR DEVELOPMENT AND I THINK FOR THE REASONS I'VE GIVEN YOU, YOU UNDERSTAND WHY I THINK THIS IS IT'S UNSUITABLE FOR INTENSIFICATION. SO IT'S NOT REASONABLE TO LEAVE IT ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK.

CONSIDERING THE SIZE, IT'S NOT WORTH LOSING THE MANY BENEFITS OF THE PRECIOUS AREA I DESCRIBED FOR SUCH A SMALL INCREASE IN THE CITY'S POTENTIAL INFILLING AREA. THANK YOU.

I'VE GOT PRINTED COPIES OF THE ORIGINAL LETTER.

IF YOU WANT. IT SORT OF SUMMARIZES THE FIRST STUFF.

I SAID, THANK YOU.

YES, IF YOU WANT TO GOT THEM PRINTED.

I JUST. I MADE EXTRAS. PERFECT.

AND I KNOW YOU REQUESTED TO HAVE YOUR YOUR LETTER ADDED TO THE ADDENDUM.

SO WE'LL WE'LL ADD THAT TO THE WEBSITE AS WELL.

THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE PRESENTER, COUNCILLOR COCHRANE.

THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. THANK YOU, ALLEN.

AND THANK YOU FOR THE OTHER PRESENTERS AND EVERYONE WHO IS HERE.

IT'S GREAT TO SEE EVERYONE SO INVOLVED AND ENGAGED.

OUT OF CURIOSITY, FROM YOUR EXPERIENCE ANECDOTALLY, HOW OFTEN DO YOU FIND THAT AREA GETS FLOODED? ALLEN, THE TRAILS THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT ARE ALMOST NEVER FLOODED.

WHAT HAPPENS IS THE LAKE COMES UP AND THE AREA BEHIND IT GETS FLOODED TO VERY CLOSE TO THAT AREA.

RIGHT. OTHERWISE, I WOULD SAY SOMETHING LIKE, WELL, MAYBE YOU COULD BUILD ANOTHER TRAIL CLOSER TO THE LAKE AND GET CLOSE BECAUSE IT'S A PERFECTLY LOGICAL POINT.

AND BUT THE PROBLEM IS THAT IT'S SO INUNDATED FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, IT'S BEEN SUBMERGED FOR THE LAST TWO SUMMERS BECAUSE OF RAISING LAKE LEVELS.

IT'S TOO MUCKY TO WALK ON.

BUT THOSE TRAILS, THE AREA I'M TALKING ABOUT, ARE NEVER TOO MUCKY TO WALK ON.

I MEAN, LOOK, I'M WEARING GUMBOOTS TO CITY HALL, OKAY? SO IN SPRING I MIGHT WEAR GUMBOOTS WHEN I'M WALKING THERE, BUT IT'S NOT A BOG LIKE THE REST OF THE BIRD SANCTUARY IS SOME OF THE YEAR.

THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE PRESENTER? COUNCILLOR WARBURTON. THANK YOU MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION AND I DO REALLY APPRECIATE THE THE PASSION THERE AND THE TALKING ABOUT PAST IMPACTS AND IMPACTS.

SO WE'RE HEARING THAT FROM ALL OVER THE IN EMAILS FROM EVERY SPOT THAT WE KIND OF HAVE LINED UP HERE TO GO.

SO IF NOT, THEY'RE THINKING WANT TO KIND OF EXPAND, SAY, INFILL THE WHOLE CITY.

LIKE WHERE, WHERE IN OLD TOWN OR WHERE DOES THAT GO IF NOT THERE, I GUESS LIKE IT'S GOT TO GO SOMEWHERE.

SO, SO, SO IN THAT PARTICULAR PART OF TOWN.

ANY RECOMMENDATIONS, SUGGESTIONS WHERE THAT COULD GO? ALLEN.

THANK YOU. I HAVEN'T LOOKED CAREFULLY AT OTHER AREAS.

I WOULDN'T ANSWER WHERE IN OLD TOWN, BECAUSE I THINK THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WANT TO KEEP OLD TOWN FEELING LIKE IT IS.

AND WITH THE ADDITION OF THE NEW MAGENTA BRICK BUILDING WITHOUT ONE BUILDING, THE POPULATION OF WILLOW FLATS HAS MORE THAN DOUBLED WHEN IT'S OPEN.

THAT'S AN ENORMOUS CHANGE TO A SMALL COMMUNITY, RIGHT? SO I FEEL LIKE WE'RE KIND OF MAXED OUT THERE ALREADY.

BUT I WOULD SUGGEST THAT IF YOU'RE GOING TO PICK AN AREA, PICK SOMEWHERE THAT GIVES YOU SIGNIFICANT BENEFITS TOWARDS THE INFILL AND YOU NEED NOT A TINY LITTLE PATCH.

LIKE THAT. COUNCILLOR MCGURK I HAVE A SIMILAR QUESTION AS TO CLAIRE, BUT I THINK THAT WE OFTEN HEAR, ESPECIALLY WITH OLD TOWN, THAT THE CONCERN IS THE INTEGRITY OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND SO. IF THERE AGAIN, IF THERE WERE ESTHETIC PROVISIONS OR PROVISIONS THAT THAT YOU FELT MAINTAIN THE CHARACTER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, WOULD THAT SORT OF BECAUSE AS A GENERAL STATEMENT, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OR INFILL IN OLD TOWN, BUT GENERALLY SPEAKING, WITHIN OLD TOWN, WOULD THAT CHANGE YOUR MIND ABOUT SEEING FURTHER DEVELOPMENT? ALLEN THANK YOU.

NO, MY MY POINT WASN'T TO MAKE BROAD STATEMENTS ABOUT OLD TOWN JUST TO SAY THERE'S SOMETHING HAPPENING THERE BIT BY BIT.

MY POINT IS THAT THIS LITTLE SPOT, IF YOU RECALL, I ONLY MENTIONED THE [INAUDIBLE] STUFF AFTER I TALKED ABOUT WHY THIS AREA IS SPECIAL TO ME AND MY FAMILY, RIGHT? IT'S THE TRAILS.

IT'S ITS LOCATION AS A POINT BETWEEN THE WHOLE COMMUNITY, WILLOW FLATS AND ALL THE BOARDWALK AND ROTARY.

THAT'S THE THING.

SO IF THE BUILDING IS THERE AND SHORTER, YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T REALLY MAKE MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE.

I DON'T THINK THAT ZONING CONDITIONS ARE GOING TO HELP WITH THE FIVE ISSUES THAT I STARTED BY DESCRIBING.

[00:35:02]

THANK YOU. ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE PRESENTER? SEEING NONE.

THANK YOU AGAIN, ALLEN, FOR COMING IN FOR YOUR EMAILS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HEARING ME OUT AND FOR YOUR TIME.

NEXT, WE HAVE MARJORIE.

AND THE MIC IS ALREADY FOR YOU.

SO. OVER TO YOU.

OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO PRESENT TO YOU TONIGHT.

I'M PRESENTING BECAUSE I'M CONCERNED THAT THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE STAFF ARE PROPOSING LAND FOR INFILL ON SCHOOL DRAW FOR POTENTIAL HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, AS WELL AS THE OTHER INFILL AREAS IN YELLOWKNIFE.

A LITTLE BACKGROUND.

MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE BEEN RESIDENTS OF YELLOWKNIFE FOR 45 YEARS.

MY CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN HAVE BEEN BORN AND RAISED HERE.

AND SORRY, I'M KIND OF EMOTIONAL ABOUT THIS.

I'M WRITING TO YOU BECAUSE I'M CONCERNED THAT THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE ARE PROPOSING LAND FOR INFILL ON SCHOOL DRAW AND ON OTHER AREAS OF THE CITY FOR POTENTIAL HOUSING DEVELOPMENT. AS ALLEN SPOKE OF, WE HAVE RECENTLY HAD A 65 UNIT APARTMENT BUILDING GO UP IN THE WILLOW FLAT NEIGHBORHOOD.

IT'LL BE COMPLETED SOON.

AND THIS MEANS THE POPULATION OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WILL SOON BE DOUBLED.

SO I URGE YOU TO PLEASE WAIT AND SEE HOW THE INCREASED POPULATION VEHICLE TRAFFIC AND NOISE EFFECTS WILL BE FOR PEOPLE LIVING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD BEFORE APPROVING THE AMENDMENT TO ALLOW FOR EVEN MORE HOUSING.

PEOPLE IN WILLOW FLATS HAVE CHOSEN TO LIVE THERE BECAUSE OF THE QUIET AND PEACEFUL LIFESTYLE.

AND UNFORTUNATELY THAT IS CHANGING.

AND IN THE TIME THAT WE'VE LIVED IN WILLOW FLATS, WE'VE SEEN THE TWIN PINE HILL DEVELOPMENT CONDOS COME, WE'VE SEEN THE NIVEN LAKE CONDOS COME, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE'RE USED TO SKYLINE, WHERE WE USED TO BE ABLE TO WALK.

THOSE THINGS HAVE DISAPPEARED AND WE DON'T NEED ANY MORE SORT OF INFILL IN THAT AREA.

AND THEN I DID LISTEN, THERE'S VERY LITTLE GREEN SPACE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

ROTARY PARK IS A LOVELY AREA TO SIT IN, BUT IT'S SMALL.

THERE'S NO PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT FOR CHILDREN, FAMILIES AND SENIORS USE THE GREEN SPACE BETWEEN LUNDQUIST AND ROTARY PARK EACH DAY TO WALK TO THE PARK.

KIDS RIDE THEIR BIKES AND PLAY THERE.

AND SO I'M HOPING THAT THE CITY WILL CONSIDER KEEPING THAT AREA GREEN SPACE FOR FAMILIES TO ENJOY THE AREA AND THE WETLAND BEHIND IS ON A MIGRATORY BIRD PATH AND IS VERY POPULAR WITH BIRDWATCHERS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS YEAR ROUND.

BEFORE WE HAD FLOODING MY DAUGHTER WHEN SHE WAS YOUNG, SHE USED TO BUILD A FORT IN THE WILLOWS, YOU KNOW, OVER THERE.

AND SO WE'VE BEEN USING THE AREA FOR A LONG, LONG TIME.

THE AREA ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE SCHOOL DRAWS IS A STEEP ROCK FACE TO DEVELOP THAT LAND INTO POTENTIAL HOUSING LOTS WOULD HAVE BEEN CONSIDERABLE BLASTING, COST A LARGE AMOUNT OF MONEY AND CHANGE THE LANDSCAPE FOREVER.

AND I WAS WONDERING IF THAT FIT IN WITH THE CITY OF DEVELOPMENT PLAN FROM 19 TO 2020.

I OBSERVED THE JANUARY 16TH COUNCIL MEETING AND WAS SURPRISED TO HEAR THAT THERE WAS NO MENTION OR I WAS SURPRISED TO HEAR THAT CITY STAFF SAID THAT 350 MORE HOUSING UNITS ARE NEEDED.

I QUESTIONED WHY THERE WAS NO MENTION OR CONSIDERATION OF CURRENT HOUSING PROJECTS UNDER DEVELOPMENT IN THE CITY.

AND SO I BELIEVE THAT THIS INFORMATION THAT I'M GOING TO SHARE WITH YOU IS CRITICAL TO HELP CITY COUNCIL IN THEIR DECISION REGARDING THE INFILL DEVELOPMENT AND TO CREATE MORE HOUSING UNITS IN YELLOWKNIFE.

AND I JUST DID LIKE A SEARCH THROUGH CBC AND THROUGH THE NORTHERN HOUSING REPORT THAT WAS PUBLISHED IN DECEMBER 22 REGARDING HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS IN YELLOWKNIFE.

SO THE FIRST ARTICLE WAS PUBLISHED BY CBC ON AUGUST 5TH.

THEY REPORTED THAT A DEVELOPER, CBC, REPORTED THAT A DEVELOPER PLANS TO CONVERT YELLOWKNIFE BELLANCA BUILDING INTO RENTAL APARTMENTS.

THE NEW RENTAL APARTMENTS WILL BE CALLED THE NEST AND HAVE 72 UNITS.

THEY'RE EXPECTED TO OPEN IN 2024.

ON SEPTEMBER 27TH, CBC REPORTED THAT YELLOWKNIFE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED THE $1 SALE OF THE 5050 LOT TO HOLLOWAY LODGING GROUP.

AND I'LL QUOTE MAYOR REBECCA ALTY AS SAYING, THIS IS GOING TO ADD MUCH NEEDED HOUSING TO THE CITY.

THE CITY FIRST PURCHASED THE 5050 LOT FOR 1.45 MILLION IN 2014.

BUT THE PLANS OF BUILDING A PARK OR PLAZA ON THE LAND NEVER MATERIALIZED.

THE NEW HOLLOWAY 12 TO 13 STORY BUILDING WILL HAVE AT LEAST 180 NEW HOUSING UNITS.

ON NOVEMBER 24TH, 2022, CBC REPORTED YELLOWKNIFE IS SET TO GET THREE NEW RENTAL APARTMENT BUILDINGS IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS.

[INAUDIBLE] SORRY, I'M NOT VERY GOOD AT PRONOUNCING HIS NAME IS QUOTED AS SAYING THE BUILDINGS WILL ADD 184 UNITS.

[00:40:06]

THAT'S THE ONE THAT ARE 64 UNITS.

THAT'S THE ONE IN THE WILLOW FLATS AREA, A 54 UNIT BUILDING ACROSS FROM THE CHATEAU NOVA AND A 70 UNIT BUILDING IN THE NEVIN NEIGHBORHOOD.

120 UNITS ARE BEING CONSTRUCTED FOR SENIORS AND SPECIAL CARE AT AVENS.

THESE NEW UNITS WILL FREE UP 120 UNITS THAT SENIOR CITIZENS AND INDIVIDUALS ARE CURRENTLY LIVING IN.

THE NORTHERN HOUSING REPORT, DECEMBER 2022.

THE NUMBERS ARE A BIT DIFFERENT WITH AVEN'S CENTER BUILDING 102 SENIOR FRIENDLY UNITS AND THE YWCA BUILDING 21 UNITS TO PROVIDE SUITABLE ACCOMMODATION FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN. THE NORTHERN HOUSING REPORT DECEMBER 2022 STATES THAT PERMITS HAVE BEEN ISSUED FOR 16 NEW SINGLE DETACHED STARTS AND EIGHT NEW SECONDARY SUITES.

THE REPORT ALSO STATES THAT PERMITS HAVE BEEN ISSUED FOR A NINE UNIT BUILDING, TWO FOURPLEXES AND 114 TOTAL APARTMENT UNITS, WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT INCLUDE THE 70 UNIT BUILDING AND THE 54 UNIT BUILDING ACROSS FROM THE CHATEAU NOVA.

THAT WAS REFERRED TO IN THE CBC ARTICLE.

SORRY, WE'LL TAKE 2 SECONDS, MARJORIE.

MOTION TO EXTEND.

COUNCILLOR HENDRIKSEN, SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR FEQUET.

ANYBODY OPPOSED? SEEING NONE. YOU CAN GO.

THANK YOU. WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT INCLUDE.

I WASN'T CLEAR ON THAT.

THE 70 UNIT BUILDING AN THE 54 UNIT BUILDING ACROSS FROM THE CHATEAU NOVA, AS REFERRED TO IN THE NOVEMBER 24TH, 2022 CBC ARTICLE, WHICH STATES 124 UNITS, NOT 114 APARTMENT SUITES.

IF ALL OF DEVELOPMENTS MOVE AHEAD AS PLANNED AND MY MATH IS CORRECT IT MAY NOT BE THE TOTAL NUMBER OF NEW HOUSING UNITS BEING CONSTRUCTED IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS IS 597, WHICH FAR SURPASSES THE 350 UNITS CITY STAFF SAY ARE NEEDED TO CATCH UP TO DEMAND.

I PERSONALLY DO NOT FEEL THAT CITY COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC HAVE BEEN GIVEN ENOUGH TIME, ADEQUATE TIME OR BACKGROUND INFORMATION TO MAKE A KNOWLEDGEABLE DECISION REGARDING THE APPROVAL OF AN AMENDMENT TO INFILL CERTAIN AREAS OF YELLOWKNIFE TO ALLOW FOR FUTURE HOUSING.

IT'S HAPPENING.

I REALLY DON'T THINK YOU'VE HAD ENOUGH TIME.

AND MAYBE IT'S MY AGE AND I NEED MORE TIME, YOU KNOW, TO WORK THINGS THROUGH.

BUT REALLY IT JUST CAME TO THE PUBLIC, WHAT, A WEEK AGO OR A WEEK AND A HALF AGO.

AND THEN ANOTHER THOUGHT I WAS HERE WHEN CON AND GIANT CLOSED THEIR DOORS MANY YEARS AGO AND THE HOUSING MARKET WAS FLOODED WITH EMPTY HOMES, PEOPLE WALKED AWAY FROM THEIR HOMES BECAUSE NO ONE WANTED TO BUY THEM AND THEY COULDN'T AFFORD THEIR MORTGAGES.

THEY DIDN'T HAVE JOBS.

ON APRIL 26, 2022, CABIN RADIO SHARED THAT DIAVIK IS SET TO CLOSE IN 2025 AND 2020 ABOUT 350 YELLOWKNIFE RESIDENTS WERE EMPLOYED AT DIAVIK.

RIO TINTO ESTIMATES THAT YELLOWKNIFE COULD LOSE BETWEEN 406 AND 622 RESIDENTS BY 2030.

THE EKATI MINE, OPERATED BY ARCTIC CANADIAN DIAMOND, IS EXPECTED TO CLOSE AS SOON AS 2024.

I COULDN'T GET ANY NUMBERS FROM THEM ABOUT HOW MANY JOBS WERE GOING TO BE LOST, HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE GOING TO LEAVE YELLOWKNIFE.

DE BEERS IS SLATED TO RUN UNTIL 2028.

OKAY. ON THE POSITIVE SIDE, WE HAVE THE GIANT MINE REMEDIATION PROJECT AND THAT'S EXPECTED TO BE IN FULL OPERATION BY 2021.

THERE ARE MANY YEARS BETWEEN THE CLOSING OF THE MINES AND GIANT MINE REMEDIATION BEING UP AND RUNNING AND THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE HAVE THE EQUIVALENT OF APPROXIMATELY 260 FULL TIME JOBS.

SOME OF THESE JOBS ARE EXPECTED TO BE SEASONAL.

UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN ALL THREE DIAMOND MINES CLOSED, THERE'LL BE A HUGE DECREASE IN THE POPULATION OF YELLOWKNIFE, WITH DIRE CONSEQUENCES TO THE HOUSING MARKET AND THE TAXATION BASE. MARJORIE SO I TRUST THAT YOU THE ELECTED OFFICIALS WILL LISTEN TO MY CONCERNS AND RECOMMEND THAT THE CITY STAFF BE GIVEN DIRECTION TO NOT MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS INFILL.

I THINK THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE A LOT MORE WORK DONE ON IT AND I THINK A LOT MORE.

I KNOW THAT IF YOU CAN APPROVE THEM TO MOVE FORWARD AND THEN HAVE, YOU KNOW, CITY CONSULTATIONS, COMMUNITY CONSULTATIONS, ALL OF THAT STUFF, ALL OF THAT STUFF COSTS MONEY.

ALL OF THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING TO MOVE THIS PROJECT FORWARD TO INFILL COSTS MONEY.

I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU STEP BACK, GET A REALLY HOLISTIC HAVE A REALLY HOLISTIC LOOK AT WHAT YELLOWKNIVE'S FUTURE MIGHT BRING AND THEN GO FROM THERE.

ANYWAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE PRESENTER? COUNCILLOR PAYNE. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

THANK YOU FOR PRESENTING.

JUST CURIOUS.

ARE YOU LOOKING? ARE YOU WANTING NO INFILL AT ALL OR JUST IN THE AREA THAT YOU LIVE?

[00:45:04]

STEP BACK.

LOOK AT THE MINES CLOSING DOWN.

THE IMPACT THAT WILL HAVE ON YELLOWKNIFE, THE IMPACT THAT WILL HAVE ON THE HOUSING MARKET, THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE 500 AND I FORGET WHAT WAS IT 92 NEW HOUSING STARTS WHEN THE CITY STAFF SAID THAT YOU NEEDED BETWEEN 300 AND 350.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO RUSH THIS.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU COULD LOOK AT VERY, VERY CLOSELY AND THEN MAKE YOUR DECISIONS INSTEAD OF STARTING TO SPEND MONEY NOW.

THOSE UNITS THAT ARE COMING UP, THOSE ARE ALL RENTAL UNITS.

THEY ARE. AND I.

EXCEPT FOR I THINK THE HOUSING.

I CAN'T GET BACK TO MY NOTES HERE, BUT THERE WERE IT WAS 18 NEW PERMITS.

HOW MANY SORRY? 18 PERMITS THAT WERE ISSUED FOR SINGLE FAMILY DWELLINGS? YEAH. I CAN'T REMEMBER.

YEAH, IT'S A BIT [INAUDIBLE] LIKE.

SO THE 50TH STREET THAT WAS THE PROPOSAL HAS NEVER COME FORWARD.

SO THAT'S UP IN THE AIR.

BELLANCA'S DOESN'T HAVE THEIR PERMITS, SO THAT'S THAT ONE'S STILL UP IN THE AIR AND THE 350 IS REQUIRED ON TOP OF EVERYTHING THAT'S UNDER CONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW.

SO IT'S 350 PLUS EVERYTHING THAT'S UNDER CONSTRUCTION.

I WASN'T AWARE OF THAT. YEAH.

JUST TO CLARIFY. OKAY.

THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COUNCILLOR MCGURK.

I THANK YOU FOR PRESENTING.

I KIND OF GREW UP IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, SO I UNDERSTAND HOW SPECIAL IT IS.

JUST ALSO, AS SOMEONE WHO GREW UP IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND HAVING BEEN ABLE TO HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE, MOST OF THE HOUSING PROJECTS THAT YOU'VE DESCRIBED ARE 1 TO 2 BEDROOM UNITS.

THEY'RE NOT FAMILY HOMES.

SO KNOWING HOW SPECIAL IS TO BE ABLE TO RAISE A FAMILY IN THAT AREA AND HAVE THAT.

I'M WONDERING WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ARE AND HOMES FOR FAMILIES AND THESE ARE IMMEDIATE NEEDS THEY'RE NOT.

AS MUCH AS I UNDERSTAND THE THE POTENTIAL OF LOSS IN RESIDENCE AND THE OPENING UP OF LARGER HOMES.

I WONDER WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ARE ON MORE IMMEDIATE NEED FOR FAMILY HOMES.

IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF OLDER HOMES.

IN THE PAST NUMBER OF YEARS, THERE HAVE BEEN TWO NEW HOMES BUILT IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

ONE HOME RENOVATED AND MADE A DOUBLE STORY.

A LARGE HOME THE FAMILY THAT IS LIVING THERE IS THERE'S TWO LADIES AND THEY HAVE FOUR CHILDREN.

SO THEIR CHANGES ARE HAPPENING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

IT'S JUST AS ALL THE OLDER HOMES ARE WHEN IT'S COME TIME FOR THEM TOO.

YOU KNOW, THEY'VE SEEN THEIR LIFE STYLE.

THEN PEOPLE BUY THE LOTS AND THEY BUILD NEW HOMES.

SO IT IS CHANGING.

PLUS, WE HAVE THE HUGE APARTMENT COMPLEX ACROSS THE STREET.

I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THAT'S TWO BEDROOM, ONE OR TWO.

YEAH. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE PRESENTER? COUNCILLOR HENDRIKSEN. THANKS, MADAM CHAIR.

MADAM CHAIR. MARJORIE, I FEEL A LITTLE UNFAIR THROWING THIS AT YOU BECAUSE I'VE KIND OF BEEN TRYING TO CRAFT THIS IN MY HEAD AS ALL THE OTHER SPEAKERS BEFORE YOU AND EVERYTHING YOU SAY ABOUT TIME AND JUST STRUGGLE WITH THESE ISSUES AND PROCESS THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP PREVIOUSLY.

ALL THINGS THAT I KNOW MYSELF AND A FEW OTHER COUNCILLORS AT LEAST HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING WITH.

ONE THING, THOUGH, THAT I WANT TO GRAB ON TO, THOUGH, THAT YOU MENTIONED WAS IT WOULD BE A WASTE OF MONEY TO SPEND DOING THIS.

I GUESS HOW. AND THIS IS WHAT I KNOW YOU'LL PROBABLY CLARIFY WITH ME, BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO GET AT THE NUB AT IS IS LIKE FOR MYSELF, HOW CAN WE AS COUNCIL EFFECTIVELY DO OUR JOB OF IGGING INTO THESE ISSUES AND SEEING WHAT THE BEST PLACE IS TO PROVIDE RESIDENTIAL CAPACITY IN THE CITY GOING FORWARD WITHOUT HAVING ADMINISTRATION DO MORE WORK AND GO THROUGH THESE PROCEDURAL ELEMENTS.

AND I AM A PROCESS GUY.

ANYONE WHO KNOWS ME KNOWS VERY MUCH THAT THIS IS MY BREAD AND BUTTER AND THAT IT WILL BE A FOCUS OF MINE REGARDLESS IF THIS DOES GO FORWARD.

BUT HOW WOULD YOURSELF AND I FEEL A LITTLE UNFAIR BECAUSE AGAIN, I'M PUTTING THIS ON YOU TO SORT OF SPEAK ON OTHERS, BUT HOW WOULD WE GET AT THOSE ISSUES IF WE DON'T GO AND START INVESTIGATING? THANKS.

I WOULD SAY TO PUT IT ON HOLD, ASK YOUR ADMINISTRATION TO GO BACK, LOOK AT THE IMPACT THAT THE MINE CLOSURES ARE GOING TO HAVE ON THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE, BECAUSE THAT'S GOING TO BE HUGE.

YOU'RE GOING TO LOSE A LOT OF TAXES IF PEOPLE LEAVE.

[00:50:02]

SO YOU'RE GOING TO LOSE RETAIL STORES, YOU'RE GOING TO LOSE AIRLINE PILOTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

IT'S GOING TO BE A HUGE IMPACT.

AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT BEFORE THE CITY LOOKS AT DEVELOPING NEW LOTS AND INFILL.

I REALLY DO. AND I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING IF YOU WANT A HOLISTIC PICTURE AND A REAL PICTURE OF WHAT YELLOWKNIFE MIGHT LOOK LIKE IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, 5 TO 10 YEARS, AND THEN MAKE YOUR DECISION.

YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AND YOU SAY, OKAY, WELL, WE'RE NOT GOING TO LOSE 1000 PEOPLE BY 2030 AND ALL THAT'S DIAVIK DE BEERS, EKATI. WE'RE NOT GOING TO LOSE A THOUSAND PEOPLE.

WELL, MAYBE WE DON'T NEED A LOT OF INFILL.

MAYBE WE DON'T NEED A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT.

WHAT ARE THE DYNAMICS OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING HERE? OBVIOUSLY, APARTMENTS ARE BEING BUILT FOR ONE TWO BEDROOM APARTMENTS.

IS IT COUPLES? IS IT YOUNG FAMILIES? IS IT SENIORS? LIKE WHAT ARE THE DYNAMICS OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO BE LIVING HERE? THANK YOU FOR GRACIOUSLY ANSWERING THE QUESTION SORT OF LOBBED AT YOU ON BEHALF OF OTHERS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE PRESENTER? COUNCILLOR WARBURTON. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

THANK YOU FOR THAT. SO I'M HEARING WE SHOULD WAIT.

WE SHOULD THINK ABOUT IT.

BUT THE REALITY RIGHT NOW IS WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT HAVE NO HOMES.

WE HAVE ZERO VACANCY FOR RENTALS.

WE HAVE ESSENTIALLY NO PROPERTIES FOR SALE FOR FAMILIES.

WE'RE IN A HOUSING CRISIS.

AND LIKE, WHAT DO WE SELL TO PEOPLE THAT CAN'T MOVE HERE FOR JOBS? WE HAVE 40% VACANCY IN HEALTH AND A LOT OF THE POSITIONS CAN'T BE FILLED BECAUSE WE CAN'T FIND HOMES TO LIVE IN.

SO LIKE WE NEED NEW HOMES, LIKE WE NEED THEM.

THIS IS NOT A SO IF WE DON'T DO THE PROPOSAL TO INFILL, WHERE DO THOSE GO AND HOW DO WE SOLVE THIS PROBLEM WITHOUT PROVIDING MORE SPACE TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM, I GUESS.

WELL, I DON'T HAVE THAT ANSWER FOR YOU, BUT I REALLY DO THINK THAT THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE.

YOUR GOVERNMENT HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT TAXES OR THE TAXES THAT ARE PAID BY THE CITIZENS ARE SPENT WISELY. AND RIGHT NOW MAYBE YOU COULD THINK ABOUT WHAT ABOUT THOSE 120 UNITS THAT SENIOR CITIZENS ARE GOING TO MOST SENIOR CITIZENS OWN THEIR OWN HOMES AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE MOVING INTO THE HAVEN CENTER.

BOOM. THERE YOU GOT 120 NEW PLACES.

YOU KNOW, LIKE THERE'S JUST DIFFERENT.

IT JUST HAS TO BE LOOKED AT, I THINK A LITTLE BIT MORE THOROUGHLY.

I DON'T THINK THAT. I THINK.

I HAVE WORKED IN GOVERNMENT FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS IN AN INDIGENOUS SELF GOVERNMENT, AND I ALWAYS SAY THAT OUR LEADERS ONLY MAKE THE DECISIONS BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT THEY'RE GIVEN.

AND SO I MADE SURE I WHEN I WAS DOING BRIEFING NOTES.

MY BRIEFING NOTES COVERED EVERYTHING LIKE ALL ASPECTS THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY.

AND I THINK THAT YOU HAVE TO GO DEEPER.

I THINK YOU HAVE TO GIVE DIRECTION TO YOUR ADMINISTRATION STAFF TO PLEASE LOOK AT SOME OF THESE DIFFERENT THINGS.

CONTACT THE MINES, THE DIAMOND MINES.

LOOK AT THE MINES THAT ARE STARTING SOME DEVELOPMENT.

WHEN DO THEY THINK THEY MIGHT BE IN, YOU KNOW, PRODUCTION? HOW MANY PEOPLE DO YOU THINK YOU'LL EMPLOY? LIKE, LOOK AT THOSE STATISTICS AND THEN MAKE YOUR DECISION.

DON'T START SAYING, OKAY, LET'S START THE PROCESS TO LOOK AT INFILL BECAUSE THAT MAY NOT BE GOOD USE OF THE CITY STAFF TIME.

YOU KNOW, LIKE. THANK YOU.

JUST 102 UNITS AT AVENS.

I'D LOVE 18 MORE, BUT JUST 102.

102. AND THEN 100 AND THEN 21 AT THE YEAH. YEAH, I GOT THAT INFORMATION ACTUALLY, FROM I THINK.

YEAH. COUNCILLOR PAYNE, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? MORE OF A COMMENT.

SPEAKING ABOUT AVENS, IF WE HAD LISTENED TO THE PUBLIC OUTCRY DURING THAT TIME, WHEN THAT WAS BEFORE US, AVENS WOULDN'T BE THERE NOW.

YOU KNOW, THE NEW DEVELOPMENT THERE.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE A LOT TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION.

AND WE'RE DOING OUR BEST UP HERE TO TRY TO MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON WHAT'S BEST FOR YELLOWKNIFE AS A WHOLE.

IT WOULD BE WONDERFUL TO BE ABLE TO ISOLATE AREAS AND SAY, OKAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, PEOPLE WALK HERE AND THERE'S A SPECIAL BIRD HERE THAT'S NOT SEEN ANYWHERE ELSE.

THAT'S FINE. BUT EVERY SECTION OF THIS CITY, PEOPLE FEEL THE SAME WAY ABOUT THEIR AREA.

SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY A NOT A GREAT DECISION TO HAVE TO MAKE, BUT WE HAVE TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS.

[00:55:05]

THANK YOU. I GO BACK TO BEFORE, WHEN THE ORIGINAL AVEN CENTER WAS BUILT AND THE OLD STANTON WAS ON THAT AREA.

SO I'VE KIND OF BEEN FOLLOWING THAT OVER THE YEARS, TOO.

ANYWAY, THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

NEXT UP, JANET.

HI. JUST WANT A QUICK JUST QUICK NOTE.

JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE. I'M PRETTY PASSIONATE ABOUT THE THE LOT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT, AND THAT'S THE LOT 148 BETWEEN [INAUDIBLE] AND CON MINE.

SO I AM THE TEACHER AT YELLOWKNIFE PLAYSCHOOL ASSOCIATION, AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU, WE HAVE SUCH A CONNECTION WITH THAT PIECE OF LAND THAT JUST IN HEARING THAT IT MIGHT BE REZONED, HAS BROUGHT UP SUCH A PASSION FOR US AND FOR OUR CHILDREN FOR MY LITTLE FOUR YEAR OLD'S AND THREE YEAR OLD'S THAT ARE COMING TO MY SCHOOL THAT I JUST FELT COMPELLED TO COME.

JUST I KNOW YOU'RE JUST BEGINNING AND IT'S JUST THE START AND THERE'S NO ANSWERS.

AND I KNOW EVERYBODY DESERVES A SPACE AND DESERVES A HOME, BUT JUST HEARING EVERYBODY ELSE, WE ALL HAVE THIS CONNECTION TO PLACE, TO THIS, TO THESE LOTS, TO THESE GREEN SPACES THAT THEY'RE MORE THAN JUST GREEN SPACES TO US LIKE.

I'M A LITTLE PASSIONATE ABOUT IT MYSELF.

DURING COVID WHEN [INAUDIBLE] SING TO MY KIDS, I WALKED THEM THROUGH THAT SPACE.

THAT WAS MY SPACE.

THAT WAS OUR SPACE TO GO BRING JOY BECAUSE WE WEREN'T ALLOWED TO SING INSIDE LIKE THOSE ARE.

WE HAVE A TREE. WE CALL IT OUR AUNTIE TREE.

THE KIDS GO THERE AND SHARE STORIES WITH IT.

THEY HUG IT, THEY CUDDLE IT LIKE IT IS OUR SPACE AND JUST I UNDERSTAND YOU GUYS HAVE A JOB TO DO AND THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE NEED HOMES.

BUT I THINK YOU NEED TO REALLY LOOK AT WHAT THESE SPACES ARE USED FOR AND THE CONNECTION THAT YOUR CITIZENS HAVE TO THESE SPACES AND THAT LITTLE KIDS HAVE THESE SPACES. BECAUSE FOR ME THAT IS THE FUTURE OF CHILD CARE, OF TAKING THEM OUT AND CONNECTING THEM TO THE LAND.

AND FOR US TO HAVE THIS LITTLE GREEN SPACE SO CLOSE TO OUR BUILDING AND SO CLOSE THAT THESE KIDS HAVE JUST GOT SO MUCH JOY FROM IT.

AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE CHILD CARE HAS TO GO.

AND THAT'S WHERE LIKE IT WOULD REALLY, REALLY IMPACT, I THINK FOR ME AND FOR OUR PROGRAM, THE LOSS OF THAT SPACE WOULD BE WOULD BE HUGE.

AND I JUST THINK I DON'T KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER IDEAS, BUT I REALLY THINK YOU REALLY HAVE TO LOOK AT THE CONNECTION THAT WE HAVE TO THESE SPACES THROUGH THE TRAILS, TO THE TREES, TO THE, YOU KNOW, AND FOR THE FUTURE OF THE LITTLE ONES WHO WANT TO SEE THAT SPACE, WHO ARE EXCITED EVERY DAY WHEN WE TAKE THEM THERE AND YOU KNOW, TALK ABOUT IT AND SHARE ABOUT IT. SO YEAH, I KNOW YOU'RE JUST STARTING AND I'M MAYBE A FAMILIAR FACE IN SOME MORE OF YOUR PROGRAM, BUT YEAH, I JUST NEEDED TO SAY MY PIECE FOR THEM WHO ALL THE LITTLE FOUR YEAR OLD'S WANTED TO COME TODAY AND FIGHT AND CHANT AND SCREAM AND SAY NO, BUT I'M THEIR REPRESENTATIVE AND I AM THEIR VOICE.

AND I JUST WANTED THEM TO BE HEARD.

APPRECIATE IT JANET. AND YOU HAVE EXPRESSED THEIR VIEWS VERY WELL TONIGHT.

OPENING IT UP TO QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL.

I HAD ONE. SO RECOGNIZING THIS LOTS RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET, THAT'S CLEARLY IDEAL.

BUT DO YOU ALSO THEN GO TO THE SLIDDING HILL THAT'S TWO BLOCKS AWAY? WE CAN GET THERE. BUT IT'S JUST ABOUT THE ACCESSIBILITY OF HAVING TO TRAVEL WITH THE KIDS TO THAT SPACE AND CROSSING AS MANY STREETS AND ROADS AS WE HAVE, BECAUSE WE WOULD HAVE CROSSED THE 52ND STREET AS WELL AS COMING UP ONTO THE SLIDING HILL.

WE COULD GET THERE. SO IT IS A POSSIBILITY.

BUT WE JUST THE CONVENIENCE OF HAVING THAT SPACE ACROSS THE STREET HAS BEEN WONDERFUL FOR US.

THANK YOU. I DIDN'T KNOW THE TERM, BUT KATRINE FROM CABIN RADIO CALLS IT THE POCKET COMMUNITY.

SO THERE'S SPACE ON BURWASH.

SPACE ON CONN.

IF HOUSES WERE DEVELOPED THERE BUT THE INTERIOR WAS LEFT AS THE NATURAL SPACE FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE NOT PROBABLY SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF YOUR ORGANIZATION, BUT SOMETHING THAT YOU COULD SUPPORT? I'M INTO LOOKING AT ANYTHING, I GUESS YOU GUYS COULD LIKE PROPOSALS AND STUFF THAT MAY COME UP.

IT'S JUST THERE ARE SOME SPACES THAT, YOU KNOW, ARE SPECIAL TO PEOPLE AND THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED WHEN DEVELOPMENT HAPPENS.

I'M NOT AGAINST DEVELOPMENT.

I'M JUST MAKING SURE THAT IN THE BEGINNING AND THROUGH THE PROCESS THAT EVERYBODY'S CONNECTIONS AND EVERYBODY'S KIND OF VIEW IS TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION.

[01:00:09]

AND IF THIS DOES MOVE FORWARD, ONE OF THE STEPS IS TO CREATE THAT AREA DEVELOPMENT PLAN, WHICH WOULD SAY THESE WERE THE LOTS ARE AND THIS IS GOING TO BE GREEN SPACE AND THIS IS OR IT'S GOING TO BE A PARK LIKE, YOU KNOW, NIVENS GOT NATURAL TRAILS, IT'S GOT PLAYGROUNDS.

THERE'S ANOTHER PARK NODE THAT'S COMING IN THE CAVO AREA.

THERE'S TRAILS BEHIND.

SO THAT NEXT STAGE, IF IT GETS TO THAT, IS WHERE WE'RE LOOKING TO GET RESIDENTS TO COME AND SAY, I LIKE THIS, BUT WHAT ABOUT THAT? SO I HOPE YOURSELF AND THE KIDS WILL ENGAGE ON THIS AND TO USE SOME OF YOUR SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS OF, YOU KNOW, WE ACTUALLY DON'T PLAY ON THAT HALF OF THE HILL.

WE PLAY ON THAT HALF OR WHATEVER IT MAY BE IS VALUABLE INPUT.

SO THANK YOU. I WILL TAKE UP THE OPPORTUNITY TO YEAH.

TO TALK ABOUT IT. AND WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST LIKE FOR COMMUNITY PLAN AND FOR ZONING BYLAWS HAVE WEB PAGES AND SO PEOPLE CAN GET THE UPDATES AND CAN SIGN UP AND I GUESS QUESTION TO ADMINISTRATION ON WHETHER WE WILL BE CREATING THAT FOR THESE AND WHETHER THERE'LL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO SIGN UP LIKE THEY CAN FOR THE CAPITAL UPDATE.

MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR.

AS WE PROCEED, IF COUNCIL APPROVES US PROCEEDING DOWN THIS PATH TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR INFILL, THIS IS THE START OF THE PROCESS AND IT INCLUDES AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT, NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT.

WE WILL OF COURSE PROVIDE THE INFORMATION IN ADVANCE SO THAT PEOPLE HAVE A LOT OF TIME TO CONSIDER IN WAY WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED AND HAVE THE ABILITY TO HAVE A SAY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE PRESENTER? SEEING NONE.

THANKS AGAIN, JANET, FOR COMING OUT.

WITH THAT, THAT'S THE END OF THE DELEGATIONS PERTAINING TO ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.

NEXT, WE HAVE MEMBER STATEMENTS.

THERE WERE NO STATEMENTS FOR THE AGENDA.

BUT COUNCILLOR HENDRIKSEN, YOU HAVE A STATEMENT FROM THE FLOOR.

[Item 11]

TONIGHT, I'M GOING TO TAKE A BRIEF MOMENT AND STEP AWAY FROM THE MAIN TOPIC THAT'S OCCUPYING OUR DISCUSSION THIS EVENING TO REFLECT ON SOME TRAINING THAT I HAD THE CHANCE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PAST WEEK ALONGSIDE COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN, AND WHICH HAS BEEN MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE FEDERATION OF CANADIAN MUNICIPALITIES.

THE TRAINING IS BEING DELIVERED BY WHITE RIBBON CAMPAIGN OF CANADA AND INCLUDES MALE POLITICIANS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

WHITE RIBBON WAS FOUNDED IN 1989 AFTER THE ÉCOLE POLYTECHNIQUE MASSACRE AND WORKS WITH MEN AND BOYS TO PROMOTE EQUITY IN ORDER TO TRANSFORM SOCIAL NORMS AROUND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN.

WHILE I HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS TRAINING AND REFLECT ON HOW I CAN PERSONALLY BECOME A MORE EFFECTIVE ALLY TO END VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS, AS WELL AS MAKE OUR DECISION MAKING PROCESS AT COUNCIL MORE OPEN AND ACCESSIBLE.

I HOPE THAT BY SPEAKING ABOUT MY LEARNING OPPORTUNITY, OTHER MEN AND BOYS IN YELLOWKNIFE MAY STOP FOR EVEN A BRIEF SECOND TODAY TO THINK ABOUT HOW THEY CAN ALSO BE ADVOCATES FOR CHANGE AND WORK TOWARD ENDING GENDER BASED VIOLENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

AS COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN REMARKED TO ME ABOUT THIS TRAINING, EVERY ACT TO COMBAT THE NORMALIZATION OF GENDER BASED VIOLENCE IS A POSITIVE ONE.

THE ISSUE OFTEN FEELS LIKE SUCH A BIG MOUNTAIN TO CLIMB, BUT EVERY LITTLE ACTION OR STATEMENT MATTERS.

IT'S FOR THIS REASON I WANTED TO SHARE THIS THIS EVENING.

WHEN YOU READ THE NEWS ACROSS CANADA AND GLOBALLY, THE ISSUE OF GENDER BASED VIOLENCE AND PHYSICAL VIOLENCE IS AS INSIDIOUS AS EVER.

THE GOAL OF MANY IS TO CONTINUE THE PRIVILEGED ROLE OF MEN AT THE EXPENSE OF PEOPLE WHO DON'T IDENTIFY AS MEN IS ONE THAT HAS ONLY GOTTEN WORSE AND IS NOT GOING AWAY.

IT IS OFTEN BECOME WORSE.

PARDON ME. IT HAS OFTEN BECOME WORSE THROUGH THE EXPANSION OF ONLINE HATE AND THE SHARING OF IDEAS THAT SHAME PEOPLE WHO DON'T FIT A DOMINANT WORLDVIEW.

THE MODEST SOLUTION, WHICH ALWAYS SEEMS TO SOMEHOW BE JUST THAT LITTLE BIT OUT OF REACH, IS TO SIMPLY RESPECT PEOPLE FOR WHO THEY ARE AND HOW THEY WANT TO BE IDENTIFIED AND TREATED AND NOT LABEL THEM BASED ON WHO YOU WANT THEM TO BE OR HOW YOU WANT TO IDENTIFY THEM AND TREAT THEM.

SO WITH THAT, I JUST WANTED TO FINISH BY TAKING THE TIME AGAIN TO THANK THE FEDERATION OF CANADIAN MUNICIPALITIES, THE WHITE RIBBON CAMPAIGN AND MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES FOR GIVING ME THE CHANCE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS TRAINING OVER THE COMING MONTHS AND TO SHARE THESE BRIEF REFLECTIONS ON THAT PARTICIPATION WITH YOU TONIGHT.

SO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU. I SIT ON THE COMMITTEE AT THE FCM ABOUT THAT, SUPPORTED THAT, SO MAKE SURE TO PASS IT ON TO STAFF THERE.

ANY OTHER MEMBER STATEMENTS FROM THE FLOOR? SORRY. DEPUTY MAYOR ARDEN-SMITH.

THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR.

SORRY, I'M A LITTLE BIT COLD OVER HERE.

IT'S A REALLY BIG WINDOW, AND I'M FREEZING.

[01:05:05]

THIS MOTION WAS PASSED.

THE INTENT OF THE MONUMENT IS TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR THE FIRST PEOPLES OF CANADA, FIRST NATIONS, INUIT, AND METIS SPECIFICALLY DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF THE AND I'M SORRY, I'M PROBABLY GOING TO BOTCH THIS THE [INAUDIBLE] PEOPLE.

FOR THOSE THAT DO NOT KNOW, THEY WERE A FIRST NATIONS PEOPLE IN NEWFOUNDLAND WHO HAD A BOUNTY ON THEM AND THEY BECAME EXTINCT IN 1829.

THE MONUMENT WOULD ALSO BE FOR OTHER NATIVE PEOPLES ACROSS CANADA WHO ENDURED AND SUFFERED UNNECESSARY HARDSHIPS AND RACISM IN OUR COUNTRY'S 150 YEAR OLD HISTORY. THIS MONUMENT SETS ITSELF APART FROM THE CALLS TO ACTION AS ITS INTENT IS TO FINALLY HAVE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES TAKE THEIR PLACE ON PARLIAMENT HILL AMONGST THE MANY STATUES OF SETTLERS OF THE PAST.

IT IS TO BE A PLACE OF REFUGE.

A SACRED POST SYMBOLIZING THAT THROUGH ALL THE DARK MOMENTS IN HISTORY.

SORRY.

WE ARE HERE TODAY.

WE ARE RESILIENT.

AND WE WILL FIGHT TO NEVER SEE THOSE HORRIBLE DAYS OF INJUSTICES AGAIN.

IT IS IN THIS HOPE OF THE PROJECT THAT IT WILL REACH ALL THE CAPITAL CITIES IN CANADA AND THEY WILL HONOR OUR FIRST PEOPLE IN A SIMILAR MANNER.

[INAUDIBLE] ANY FURTHER MEMBER STATEMENTS FROM THE FLOOR? SEEING NONE.

[Items 12 & 13]

WE HAVE OUR GOVERNANCE AND COMMITTEE REPORT FOR JANUARY 9, 2023.

COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN, IF YOU COULD MOVE THE MOTION IF YOU WANT, YOU CAN JUST SAY THE CONFERENCE EVENT AND THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS AS OPPOSED TO LOCATION DATES, ETC..

THAT ONE THE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF COUNCIL BE AUTHORIZED TO ATTEND THE FOLLOWING CONFERENCES IN 2023 THAT RELATE DIRECTLY TO THE CITY'S BUSINESS.

THE FCM BOARD MEETING FOR THE MAYOR, THE FCM ANNUAL CONFERENCE FOR THE MAYOR, THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES ASSOCIATION OF COMMUNITIES AGM FOR THE MAYOR AND ONE COUNCILLOR AND THE CANADIAN ALLIANCE TO END HOMELESSNESS CONFERENCE FOR ONE COUNCILLOR.

NUMBER TWO, OTHER TRAVEL AUTHORIZATIONS BE PRIORITIZED BASED ON COUNCIL PRIORITIES AND EMERGING OPPORTUNITIES AND BE APPROVED BY COUNCIL ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS IN ADVANCE OF EACH CONFERENCE.

THANK YOU. DO HAVE A SECONDER.

COUNCILLOR FEQUET.

ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.

AND THAT CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.

[Items 14 & 15]

THAT COUNCIL DIRECTED ADMINISTRATION TO BRING FORWARD IN Q2 2023 A MEMORANDUM TO COMMITTEE OUTLINING THE COST IMPLICATIONS AND ANALYSIS WITH RESPECT TO HOSTING THE 2026 ARCTIC WINTER GAMES IN YELLOWKNIFE.

THANK YOU DO I HAVE SECONDER.

COUNCILLOR FEQUET AND I'LL PASS THE CHAIR TO DEPUTY MAYOR ARDEN-SMITH AS I'D LIKE TO MOVE A MOTION.

THANK YOU. AND DO WE HAVE A MOTION? THANK YOU. I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT COUNCIL REFER THE MOTION BACK TO GOVERNANCE AND PRIORITIES COMMITTEE FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION.

AND IF I HAVE A SECONDER, I WILL ELABORATE.

SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR COCHRANE.

THANK YOU. SO FOR ME, BASED ON [INAUDIBLE] INFORMATION, I'D BE PREPARED TO MAKE A DECISION.

SO I'D PREFER TO SAVE CITY STAFF TIME, I.E.

NOT HAVE TO DO FURTHER ANALYSIS AND WRITE A MEMO FOR COUNCIL.

BUT SO IF IT'S BROUGHT BACK TO GPC, I'D BRING FORWARD A MOTION OUTLINING THAT THE CITY PROVIDE THE SAME SUPPORT AS WE DID FOR THE FRENCH FEDERATION WHEN THEY WANTED TO HOST THE FRANCOPHONE GAMES.

SO I'D MOVE THAT THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE SUPPORT THE GNWT BID TO HOST THE 2026 WINTER GAMES IN YELLOWKNIFE BY ONE ALLOCATING STAFF RESOURCES IN AN ADVISORY CAPACITY ON THE BID COMMITTEE.

TWO PROVIDING A LETTER OF SUPPORT INDICATING THAT THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE WILL PROVIDE THE REQUIRED CITY FACILITIES TO THE GAMES AT NO COST.

AND THREE, ALLOCATING STAFF RESOURCES IN AN ADVISORY CAPACITY ON THE HOST COMMITTEE SHOULD THE GNWT BE SUCCESSFUL IN THEIR BID TO HOST THE GAMES.

THAT'S JUST AN FYI.

COUNCIL DOESN'T HAVE TO SUPPORT THAT, BUT THAT'S THE DISCUSSION THAT WE WOULD HAVE AT GPC.

I CAN'T MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO BRING THAT MOTION FORWARD BECAUSE IT'S TOO FAR FROM WHAT'S PRESENTED ON THE AGENDA TODAY, WHICH IS WHY I'M RECOMMENDING THAT THIS BE SENT BACK TO GPC FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION AND THEN COUNCIL CAN MOVE A MOTION TO COUNCIL THAT WOULD OUTLINE

[01:10:04]

THANK YOU. OPENING UP TO ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.

SEEING NONE ALL IN FAVOR TO THE MOTION AS PRESENTED BY MADAM MAYOR.

ANY OPPOSED? AND COUNCILLOR FEQUET IS FOR SO.

AND THAT MOTION PASSES AND I'M HANDING IT BACK TO MADAM MAYOR.

YEAH. FOR THE RECORD, THAT ONE PASSED UNANIMOUS.

SO THE CITY CLERK LOOKING BACK.

SO THAT WILL COME BACK TO GPC FOR FEBRUARY AND WE'LL HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSION AT THAT TIME .

WITH THAT NUMBER 16.

[Item 16]

SO HOW WOULD THE TIMING WORK? I HAVE QUESTIONS AND AN AMENDMENT.

FIRST, WE HAVE TO GET THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR AND A SECONDER SO WE'LL DO THAT AND THEN WE'LL ENTERTAIN ANY AMENDMENTS.

THAT COUNCIL ONE DIRECT ADMINISTRATION TO INITIATE PLANNING APPLICATIONS AND AS REQUIRED FOR COMMUNITY PLAN AMENDMENTS, AREA DEVELOPMENT PLANS, ZONING BYLAW AMENDMENTS AND SUBDIVISION OF LANDS IN SUPPORT OF INFILL INTENSIFICATION DEVELOPMENT, AND TWO DIRECT ADMINISTRATION TO PROCEED WITH THE FOLLOWING PARCELS ONE BURWASH DRIVE CON ROAD LOT 14 BLOCK 145 AND LOT 5 BLOCK 148 TO SCHOOL DRAW LOT 15 BLOCK 78 AND PORTION OF BLOCK 77 A PLANNED 512.

NUMBER THREE NIVEN DRIVE PORTION OF LOT ONE BLOCK 303.

FOUR TAYLOR ROAD NORTH AND SOUTH SIDE PORTION OF LOT TWO BLOCK 159 AND LOT 19 AND 20 BLOCK 133.

WHOLE LOT OF NUMBERS AND NIVEN PHASE EIGHT PORTION OF LOT 21 BLOCK 312.

THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE A SECONDER DEPUTY MAYOR ARDEN-SMITH.

COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN DID YOU WANT TO BRING FORWARD AN AMENDMENT? WHEN WOULD BE A GOOD TIME TO ASK QUESTIONS OF ADMINISTRATION? WE COULD DO JUST OPENING IT UP FOR GENERAL DISCUSSION OR YOU CAN PUT YOUR AMENDMENTS ON THE TABLE.

DO YOU HAVE MORE GENERAL QUESTIONS? GENERAL QUESTIONS? OKAY.

WELL, WE'LL START WITH GENERAL QUESTIONS THEN FROM YOU RIGHT NOW.

OKAY. SO A FEW GENERAL QUESTIONS.

SO IN MY THINKING ABOUT HOW THE CITY CAN CREATE MORE HOUSING IN YELLOWKNIFE, I'VE BEEN CONSIDERING HOW SELLING OFF CITY OWNED LAND FOR INFILL MAY AFFECT THE DEMAND FOR OR INCENTIVES IMPACTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF PRIVATELY HELD VACANT LOTS DOWNTOWN.

HAS ADMINISTRATION CONSIDERED THIS? WHAT WILL THE IMPACT BE ON DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT IF WE OPEN UP ALL THIS PROPOSED INFILL LOTS? MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.

I'LL ASK MS. WHITE IF SHE WOULD LIKE TO RESPOND TO THAT.

THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.

SO THERE ARE TWO, I GUESS, DIFFERENT CONSIDERATIONS TO HAVE.

ONE IS THAT THE ZONING AND THE DEVELOPMENT THAT IS PERMITTED IN THE DOWNTOWN DOESN'T NECESSARILY REQUIRE RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT.

SO WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT PART WHILE IT IS GOOD AND WE WOULD ENCOURAGE RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE DOWNTOWN, WE COULD COME IN AND BUILD A SIX STORY BUILDING, WHICH IS ALL COMMERCIAL AND OR OFFICE SPACE.

SO WE HAVE TO CONSIDER THAT.

WE ALSO HAVE TO CONSIDER THAT WE HAVE PUT IN PLACE SOME STARTED TO PUT IN PLACE THROUGH THE CHANGES IN THE ZONING BYLAW, SOME REGULATIONS AND RULES THAT WILL FACILITATE NEW DEVELOPMENT IN THE DOWNTOWN.

WE'VE SLOWLY STARTED TO SEE SOME PICK UP ON THAT AND WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING FOR THE INFILL AND DENSIFICATION.

AGAIN, WE HAVEN'T GOT INTO LOT SIZE OR DYNAMICS OR DENSITY AT THIS POINT, BUT IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFERENT TYPE OF HOUSING THAN WHAT IS, AS AN EXAMPLE, PROPOSED FOR SAY, THE BELLANCA AND WHAT THEY'VE PROVIDED IN THEIR BUILDING.

SO THEY'RE VERY DIFFERENT TYPES OF HOUSING, DIFFERENT MARKETS, DIFFERENT CUSTOMERS AND CLIENTS.

AS WELL SOME OF WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IN THE DOWNTOWN, WHILE WE'RE IT'S BEEN REFERRED TO AS RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT, IT'S ACTUALLY SHORT TERM RENTAL, RIGHT? SO IT'S NOT THE SAME AS HAVING A PERMANENT DWELLING.

SO THEY'RE VERY DIFFERENT PIECES.

NOW CAN THEY BE THE SAME? ABSOLUTELY. WE HAVE SINGLE FAMILY HOUSES IN THE DOWNTOWN, RIGHT? SO THAT IS WE HAVE THAT NOW.

BUT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IN THE DOWNTOWN IS WE'RE LOOKING AT MUCH HIGHER, WE CALL IT HIGHER DENSITY.

AND FOR THESE INFILL, WE'RE LOOKING MORE IN THE MEDIUM DENSITY.

[01:15:02]

THANK YOU. THANKS FOR THAT ANSWER.

MY NEXT QUESTION, I THINK, WAS BROUGHT UP BY ONE OR TWO OF THE PRESENTERS TODAY.

SO DIAVIK WILL CLOSE IN A COUPLE OF YEARS AND WE'RE UNSURE ON THE FUTURE OF EKATI.

HAS ADMINISTRATION CONSIDERED THE IMPACT OF THESE CLOSURES ON THE HOUSING DEMAND IN YELLOWKNIFE? IS THIS FACTORED INTO THIS CURRENT DEMAND AND IN THE PROPOSAL FOR THESE INFILL LOTS? MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WE DON'T COME AT THIS WITHOUT DOING RESEARCH AND WE DON'T COME AT THIS WITHOUT LOOKING AT WHAT OUR COMMUNITY PLAN AND ALL THE BACKGROUND MATERIAL THAT WAS REQUIRED FOR THAT ALLOWS FOR AND WHAT IT LOOKED AT IN THE LONGER TERM.

I'LL ASK MS. WHITE IF SHE'D LIKE TO EXPAND ON THIS.

SURE. I'LL JUST ADD THAT AS PART OF THE COMMUNITY PLAN, IT DOESN'T END WHEN IT'S APPROVED BY COUNCIL.

SO WHAT STAFF DOES IS WE FOLLOW TRENDS STATISTICS THROUGH TIME.

SO EVERY YEAR AFTER THAT COMMUNITY PLAN, BECAUSE IN FIVE YEARS I KNOW I NEED TO COME BEFORE COUNCIL TO SAY, OKAY, THIS WAS WHAT WE PROPOSED IN THE COMMUNITY PLAN, THIS IS WHAT WAS THOUGHT TO BE HAPPENING AND HERE'S WHERE WE ARE.

SO THEN WHAT WE DO IS WE TAKE ALL OF THAT INFORMATION TO TRY TO PROJECT FOR PROJECTING IS NOT A PERFECT SCIENCE.

DEMOGRAPHY IS NOT A PERFECT SCIENCE.

SO WE DO TAKE ALL OF THAT INFORMATION INTO CONSIDERATION, NOT JUST WHAT IS CLOSING, BUT WHAT WE KNOW IS ON THE HORIZON AS WELL AND WHAT IS CURRENTLY HAPPENING AND THE VACANCIES WE HAVE IN OUR CURRENT ECONOMY.

SO ALL OF THAT MESHES TOGETHER.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

THE NEXT ONE.

SO THERE'S A STRONGLY HELD BELIEF AMONG CERTAIN RESIDENTS OR MANY RESIDENTS THAT VOTING YES TONIGHT TO BEGIN THIS WORK MEANS THAT DEVELOPMENT IS A DONE DEAL. CAN ADMINISTRATION SPEAK TO THIS CONCERN? I JUST LIKE TO CONFIRM THAT VOTING YES NOW IS SAYING WE'LL DEAL WITH IF DEVELOPMENT WILL OCCUR AND THEN DEAL WITH HOW DEVELOPMENT WILL OCCUR.

MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.

AND WE REALLY REFER BACK TO THE MEMORANDUM THAT WE BROUGHT FORWARD FOR COUNCIL THAT THIS IS THE START OF THE PROCESS.

THE MUNICIPAL LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT WE HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING TRANSPARENTLY.

EVERYTHING COMES FORWARD FOR RESIDENTS TO BE ABLE TO SEE, TO PARTICIPATE IN WHETHER OR NOT IT'S THE CONSIDERATION OF TIN CAN HILL FOR FUTURE UNIVERSITY AND POST-SECONDARY, WHETHER OR NOT IT IS HOW OUR ZONING BYLAW AND OUR COMMUNITY PLAN IS DEVELOPED.

SO YES, THIS IS THE START OF THE PROCESS THAT WOULD RESULT IN A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AROUND AREA DEVELOPMENT PLANS AND REZONING REQUIREMENTS.

MS. WHITE, ANYTHING TO ADD? NO, THAT'S GREAT. THANK YOU.

AND IF FOLKS ARE INTERESTED, PAGE 14 AND 15 OF LAST WEEK'S MEMO OUTLINED ALL THE STEPS, AND THERE'S A NUMBER OF TIMES THAT IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO COME BACK TO COUNCIL TO BE VOTED ON. AND AT ANY OF THOSE TIMES, COUNCIL CAN VOTE AGAINST IT.

THANK YOU. AND ONE MORE TOPIC IN TERMS OF THE BURWASH CON ROAD SITE, AS WELL AS THE SCHOOL DRAW 77A SITE AND THE NATURAL AREA PRESERVATION STRATEGY. CAN ADMINISTRATION PROVIDE SOME RATIONALE ON WHY, PARTICULARLY THE BURWASH CON LOT IS BEING RECOMMENDED FOR DEVELOPMENT WHEN IT CLEARLY STATES IN THE STRATEGY THAT THIS IS REQUIRED GREEN SPACE.

MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.

SO THE 2009 STRATEGY WAS SOMETHING THAT INFORMED A LOT OF THE WORK THAT WE HAVE DONE, INCLUDING AN UP TO THINGS LIKE THE COMMUNITY PLAN.

CERTAINLY WE LOOK AT THE CONSIDERATIONS THAT ARE GIVEN AT THE TIME.

THINGS DO EVOLVE OVER TIME WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.

WE LOOK AT HOW LANDS ARE USED, HOW THEIR VALUE IS USED, WHAT WE SEE AS THEIR VALUE, WHETHER OR NOT IT IS AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF GREEN SPACE IN THE COMMUNITY, OR WHETHER OR NOT IT IS SOMETHING THAT TAKING OTHER THINGS INTO CONSIDERATION THAT WE WOULD LOOK AT FOR POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT.

SO CERTAINLY AS WE LOOKED AT IN THE COMMUNITY PLAN PROCESS, IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO US THAT WE LOOKED FULSOMELY AT ALL THE LAND.

AND CERTAINLY STRATEGIES LIKE THAT ARE INCORPORATED INTO WHAT BECOMES LAW, BUT THEY INFORM THE WORK THAT WE DO AND THEY INFORM THE DECISIONS THAT ARE MADE.

MS. WHITE ANYTHING TO ADD? NO, I WOULD SAY IT'S A STRATEGY.

WE HAVE STRATEGIES, WE HAVE STUDIES, AND WE DO WE LOOK AT THEM, WE REFER TO THEM AS WELL AS THEY INFORM RECOMMENDATIONS THAT COME FORWARD TO COUNCIL.

BUT THE COMMUNITY PLAN IS THE BYLAW OF COUNCIL AND THE COMMUNITY PLAN, AGAIN, I CAN'T SPEAK TO IT 100%.

I WAS NOT HERE FOR THAT PROCESS, BUT IT WOULD HAVE LOOKED AT ALL OF THOSE STUDIES WHEN IT WAS CREATED.

AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE COMMUNITY PLAN ARE PARTIALLY WHAT WE ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH OR RECOMMENDING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH.

THANK YOU. OK.

SO THIS SORT OF MEANS THAT WE'RE MOVING ON FROM THE NATURAL AREA PRESERVATION STRATEGY AND IT IS NOT GOING TO BE SORT OF A LENS FOR WHICH WE MAKE DEVELOPMENT

[01:20:09]

SO IT'S A 2009 STUDY.

IT DOES HAVE IT WAS OF A TIME AND PLACE AND IT CERTAINLY HAS INFORMATION IN IT THAT'S BEEN INCORPORATED INTO CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS LIKE THE COMMUNITY PLAN.

THANK YOU. AND COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN JUST IN THINKING FURTHER, WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE'LL DO ONE ROUND FOR ALL OF COUNCIL'S KNOWLEDGE, ONE ROUND OF QUESTIONS LIKE ASK ALL YOUR QUESTIONS AND THEN WE'LL OPEN UP THE FLOOR TO AMENDMENTS.

SO. CONTINUE.

THAT'S ALL MY QUESTIONS FOR NOW.

NEXT WOULD BE AN AMENDMENT SO.

PERFECT OPENING IT UP TO FURTHER QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL.

COUNCILLOR PAYNE. THANK YOU.

JUST A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS HERE.

THE TRAIL IN THE PROPOSED NIVEN AREA.

I'M ASSUMING THAT WE'VE DONE SOME OR HAD SOME THOUGHTS ON HOW TO RELOCATE THAT TRAIL OR INCORPORATE IT WITH THE NEW DEVELOPMENT.

MS. BASSI-KELLETT. YES, ABSOLUTELY WE HAVE.

MS. WHITE.

YES. SO THAT IS A VERY CONNECTIVE TRAIL, AS WAS IDENTIFIED TONIGHT, AS WE'RE AWARE, IN AT THE CITY AND AS PART OF THE PLANNING PROCESS, WE WOULD LOOK AT WHAT IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE MEANS, WHETHER THAT IS TO MOVE IT, WHETHER IT'S TO WORK AROUND IT.

SO NOT JUST FOR THE NIVEN LANDS, BUT FOR ALL OF THE LANDS.

JUST BY IDENTIFYING LAND DOESN'T MEAN WE'RE GOING TO COVER THE ENTIRE PORTION OF THE PROPERTY WITH INFILL, RIGHT? SO WE WOULD LOOK FOR ALL OF THE PARCELS, PROPERTIES, HOW WE CAN INTERTWINE, WHETHER IT'S EXISTING TRAILS, SNOWMOBILES, ALL OF THAT INTO THE POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT.

BUT THAT'S WHAT THAT FURTHER PLANNING AND REVIEW WOULD LEAD TOWARDS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

AND THE NEXT ONE, THE SCHOOL DRAW A LOT AND I'M THINKING PARTICULARLY ON THE CORNER OF LUNDQUIST AND SCHOOL DRAW. HOW MANY LOTS WOULD THAT ENCOMPASS? LIKE HOW MANY INDIVIDUAL LOTS? MS. BASSI-KELLETT. MS. WHITE.

SO THE LAND IS ABOUT 0.46 HECTARES, SO THAT'S ABOUT AN ACRE AND A HALF.

IF YOU LOOKED AT THE ZONING THAT IS CURRENTLY THERE, SO DEPENDS.

SAYING LOTS IS ONE WAY TO LOOK AT IT.

SO I MEAN YOU COULD JUST MAKE THE MINIMUM LOT SIZE TO GO DING, DING, DING ALL THE WAY DOWN THE ROAD.

IS THAT THE BEST DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT FOR THAT AREA? I DON'T KNOW YET.

COULD IT HAVE MULTI-UNIT RESIDENTIAL? IS IT SINGLE DETACHED? SO IT'LL BE DIFFERENT BASED ON WHAT IS DETERMINED BASED ON CONSULTATION WITH THE COMMUNITY.

SO IT COULD BE AS FEW AS FOUR.

BUT THAT REALLY WOULDN'T BE AN EFFECTIVE IN-FILL DEVELOPMENT.

BUT FOUR LOTS WITH THREE UNITS ON EACH LOT MIGHT BE.

SO IT'S SOMEWHAT SUBJECTIVE UNTIL WE ACTUALLY GET TO THAT POINT.

SO AT MINIMUM I COULD SAY FOUR AND AT MAXIMUM I COULD, YOU KNOW, IT DEPENDS ON WHAT IT ENDS UP BEING DENSITY WISE.

AND ARE WE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT LIKE DIFFERENT HOUSING TYPES? ARE WE LOOKING AT DUPLEX LIKE INFILL THROUGHOUT THE CITY OR ARE WE LOOKING AT SMALL HOMES? I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT TINY HOMES.

I DON'T THINK ANYBODY CAN LIVE IN THOSE TINY THINGS, BUT LIKE SMALL HOMES WHERE YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, A 500 SQUARE FOOT FOOTPRINT TYPE THING.

HAVE WE LOOKED AT THE POSSIBILITY OF DOING THOSE? MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.

AND IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT QUESTION BECAUSE OUR INTENTION HERE IS TO EXPAND THE SCOPE AND AMOUNT AND TYPE OF RESIDENTIAL FOR PEOPLE.

WE KNOW THERE ARE DIFFERENT KINDS OF THINGS PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN, WHETHER OR NOT IT'S SMALL UNITS, WHETHER OR NOT IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S A LITTLE BIT BIGGER THAT CAN ACCOMMODATE THREE AND FOUR BEDROOMS. WE KNOW THERE'S A CONTINUUM OF INTEREST, AND SO WE ARE SEEKING TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DELIVER ON WHAT PEOPLE WANT IN YELLOWKNIFE.

MS. WHITE, ANYTHING TO ADD? WHAT I WOULD ADD IS WE CREATE THE LOT AND THE PURCHASER DETERMINES WHAT THEY CAN BUILD ON THAT LOT.

SO AS OF RIGHT NOW, IT COULD BE ANYWHERE FROM A SINGLE DETACHED DWELLING THAT'S 500 SQUARE FEET TO WHATEVER THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE WOULD BE ON THAT PROPERTY, BUT THAT WOULD BE DETERMINED BY THE PURCHASER.

WE WOULD CREATE PARAMETERS AROUND THAT.

SO YOU'RE NOT HAVING THESE REALLY TALL BUILDINGS AGAIN, IT HAS TO BE IN KEEPING WITH WHAT IS IN AND AROUND THE AREA AS WELL AS THE HIGHEST AND BEST USE FOR THE SERVICES THAT ARE AVAILABLE.

ALL OF THE PROPOSED INFILL AREAS HAVE FULL MUNICIPAL SERVICES.

SO WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT TRUCK SERVICES THAT WOULD LIMIT WHAT DENSITY WE WOULD HAVE.

[01:25:01]

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

COUNCILLOR WARBURTON. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

FIRST QUESTION IS, WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT USING DOWNTOWN BETTER.

WE'VE HEARD A LOT OF LETTERS AROUND, LOTS THAT ARE BASICALLY PRIVATELY OWNED.

SO JUST AN UPDATE, I GUESS, A REFRESHER FOR ME.

WHAT ARE WE KIND OF WORKING ON OR IS COMING DOWN THE PIPE IN WAY OF KIND OF ADDRESSING INCENTIVIZING THOSE USES OF THOSE LOTS? MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MS..

WHITE THANK YOU.

I'LL ANSWER PART AND IF THERE'S SOME ADDITIONS, BY ALL MEANS, OTHER DIRECTORS MIGHT WANT TO CHIME IN.

SO THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS, FIRST OFF, IT'S NOT JUST FOR THE DOWNTOWN.

WE HAVE OTHER AREAS THAT ARE UNDER OUR INCENTIVE BYLAW, THE DOWNTOWN AREA SPECIFICALLY, WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT IS WRONG WITH OUR CURRENT BYLAW BECAUSE IT HAS NOT HAD A GREAT UPTAKE.

IT'S BEEN IN PLACE FOR A WHILE.

AND SO WE'VE HAD SOME REALLY GREAT RESPONSES FROM THE PUBLIC AS WELL AS FROM A NUMBER OF BUSINESSES AS TO WHY MAYBE IT HAS NOT BEEN AS SUCCESSFUL AS IT COULD HAVE BEEN. SO LOOKING AT THE SUGGESTIONS AND WHAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE THE LEGISLATIVE ABILITY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH, BECAUSE THERE ARE LIMITATIONS ON COUNCIL AND WHAT YOU CAN DO IS THROUGH THE INCENTIVE PIECE NOW USING OTHER PIECES OF LEGISLATION, MAYBE THERE'S SOMETHING THROUGH TAXATION OR SOMETHING ELSE.

HOWEVER, THE INCENTIVE BYLAW IS SPECIFICALLY TO THE FUND THAT IS DIRECTLY RELATED AS WELL AS WHAT WE CAN DO TO INCENT DEVELOPMENT.

IT'S NOT SPECIFIC TO RESIDENTIAL, AGAIN SO SIMILAR AS MY ANSWER BEFORE THE DOWNTOWN IT COULD BE AN ENTIRELY COMMERCIAL OR OFFICE BUILDING, RIGHT? SO CAN WE INCLUDE SOME RESIDENTIAL IN THERE THAT'S GOING TO BE PROPOSED, BUT THAT WILL ULTIMATELY BE A RECOMMENDATION FOR COUNCIL TO DELIBERATE IF THAT'S THE BEST USE OF THE MONEY FOR THAT DOWNTOWN AREA.

I WOULD THINK OF THE TWO PROJECTS AS BEING PARALLEL.

THEY'RE AIMING FOR A SIMILAR GOAL, ACTING AT THE SAME TIME, BUT WE'LL HAVE DIFFERENT RESULTS JUST BASED ON GEOGRAPHY, BASED ON THE ZONING SPECIFICALLY, BUT ALSO THE THE CORE USE VERSUS THAT RESIDENTIAL PERIPHERY USE.

AND THEY WILL LOOK THE RESULTS WILL LOOK DIFFERENT, BUT WE'RE DOING BOTH IN TANDEM.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

THANKS VERY MUCH. NEXT QUESTION IS AROUND KIND OF INFRASTRUCTURE.

AND WE'VE ALL BEEN TALKING ASSET MANAGEMENT LAST LITTLE WHILE HERE AT A WORKSHOP ON THE WEEKEND.

YOU DIDN'T MENTIONED, WHICH I'M GREAT TO HEAR THAT ALL THE PROPOSED LOTS ARE ON PIPE, WATER AND SEWER.

MAYBE IF YOU COULD SPEAK TO KIND OF THE YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE BENEFIT OF US PUTTING IT ON EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE VERSUS, SAY, PLOWING IN A NEW SUBDIVISION? MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.

SO WHEN WE LOOK AT AND WE CONSIDER THE WHOLE CONCEPT AROUND INFILL, WE LOOK AT WHAT THE BENEFITS INCLUDE, AND THAT IS DEFINITELY LESS SPRAWL THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY. IT IS ENABLING MUCH MORE ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION.

THERE'S LESS GHG EMISSIONS BY BEING CLOSER TO EXISTING AMENITIES.

PEOPLE AREN'T DRIVING AS FAR.

WE KNOW THAT THE ULTIMATE BENEFIT, OF COURSE, IS USING EXISTING MUNICIPAL INFRASTRUCTURE, PIPED INFRASTRUCTURE FOR WATER AND SEWER, USING EXISTING ROADS, USING EXISTING SIDEWALKS.

THIS MEANS THAT WE HAVE MORE TAXPAYERS USING THE SAME AMOUNT OF SERVICES, THEREFORE REDUCING THE TAX IMPACT FOR EVERYBODY.

SO THAT IS A HUGE THING THAT WE HEAR OFTEN FROM RESIDENTS ABOUT THE IMPLICATIONS AROUND TAX INCREASES.

THE COST OF LIVING IS SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY CONSIDERABLE.

WE HEAR THAT FROM A RANGE OF RESIDENTS.

AND SO BY BEING ABLE TO UTILIZE THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE AND NOT CREATING MORE, WHICH WOULD REQUIRE ALL OF US TO PAY FOR IT DOES MAKE FOR LESS TAXES ALL AROUND BY BROADENING THE ASSESSMENT BASE.

THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COUNCILLOR MCGURK. YEAH, ACTUALLY, UM, THIS IS KIND OF IN LINE WITH THAT LAST QUESTION, WHICH IS, IF ADMINISTRATION CAN SPEAK TO THE LINK BETWEEN TAXATION, INCREASED HOUSING, SO THE TAXATION, THE CURRENT TAXATION ASSESSMENT AND CAN ADMINISTRATION SPEAK TO WHAT OUR CURRENT TAXATION ASSESSMENT IS, WHETHER OR NOT WE HAVE A GROWING TAX BASE AND INCLUDING THESE LOTS WOULD INCREASE OUR TAX BASE? MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YEAH.

ABSOLUTELY. SO IF WE PUT MORE HOUSING INTO AREAS THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED FOR INFILL, THAT MEANS WE HAVE MORE PEOPLE LIVING WITHIN THE AREAS THAT ARE SUSTAINED BY THE SAME ROADS, SIDEWALKS, WATER PIPES, SEWER PIPES, SAME LIFT STATIONS, SAME PUMP HOUSES.

[01:30:01]

AS COMPARED TO IF WE WENT TO A WHOLE NEW SUBDIVISION WHERE WE HAD TO BUILD ROADS, PUT IN LINEAR PIPES, PUT IN LIFT STATIONS, BUILD SIDEWALKS, THAT COST FOR THAT NEIGHBORHOOD IS SOMETHING THAT ALL OF US IN THE COMMUNITY NEED TO SUSTAIN.

AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE FEEL THROUGH OUR TAX RATES.

SO BEING ABLE TO USE EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE AND CERTAINLY WHEN WE KNOW THAT OUR ASSET MANAGEMENT APPROACH IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT, WE NEED TO MANAGE EFFECTIVELY WHAT WE HAVE TO MAXIMIZE THE LIFESPAN OF OUR EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE AND BUILDING NEW COSTS US ALL.

THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR ADMINISTRATION? COUNCILLOR FEQUET? THANKS, MADAM CHAIR.

THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO SHARED THEIR THOUGHTS THROUGH EMAILS, LETTERS, VIDEOS, ILLUSTRATIONS.

IT'S GREAT TO SEE EVERYBODY GIVING US INPUT TO INFORM COUNCIL'S DELIBERATIONS.

AS A COUNCIL TEAM, WE HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE YET TO MEET TO ESTABLISH OUR COLLECTIVE VALUES THAT WOULD GUIDE IMPORTANT DISCUSSIONS LIKE THIS THAT WE'RE HAVING TONIGHT.

WE ALSO HAVEN'T SET OUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITIES.

HOWEVER, WITH THAT BEING SAID, I THINK I DO PERSONALLY BELIEVE AND THINK MOST RESIDENTS AGREE OR ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE WE DO HAVE A CRISIS WITH OUR NEIGHBORS IN THE UNDER HOUSED POPULATION. AND THERE ARE PEOPLE SHARING STORIES OF ACCEPTING JOBS IN THE NWT AND NOT BEING ABLE TO FIND HOUSING TO MOVE UP AND TAKE THEM.

COUNCIL TOOK PART IN AN ASSET MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP THIS PAST WEEKEND AND IT BECAME HORRIFYINGLY CLEAR I NEVER KNEW THIS, THAT URBAN SPRAWL.

AND BY THAT I MEAN ADDING NEW SERVICES LIKE ROADS, SEWERS AND WATER IS NEVER FINANCIALLY VIABLE BECAUSE THE ADDED TAX REVENUE WILL NEVER COME CLOSE TO RECOVERING THE LIFECYCLE COSTS OF THOSE NEW ASSETS.

SO HOUSING IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.

I PERSONALLY AM A PROPONENT OF INFILL AND DENSIFICATION.

THE QUESTION THAT I'VE WRESTLED WITH PERSONALLY OVER THE LAST WEEK IS WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO GO ABOUT DOING THAT? CONSIDERING THAT, I THINK EVERYONE WOULD CERTAINLY PRIORITIZE AREAS THAT WOULDN'T REMOVE GREEN SPACES AND ESPECIALLY THOSE GREEN SPACES THAT ARE ACTIVELY BEING USED.

SO MY ONE QUESTION THAT HASN'T BEEN ALREADY ASKED IS FOR ADMINISTRATION, AND IT'S IN YOUR EXPERIENCE, IF COUNCIL HAS QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS ABOUT SOME OF THE PARCELS THAT HAVE BEEN PUT FORWARD AT THIS POINT IN THE PROCESS, IS IT BETTER TO STOP AND HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS NOW? OR DOES BEGINNING THE PROCESS MAKE MORE SENSE? AND WHY? MS. BASSI-KELLETT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.

SO CERTAINLY AS ADMINISTRATION WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS TO IDENTIFY THE FIVE LOTS THAT WE PRESENTED TODAY, WE LOOKED AT VIRTUALLY EVERY VACANT CITY OWNED LOT THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.

WE LOOKED AT WHAT'S THE SLIDING HILL.

WE LOOKED AT AREAS ALL THROUGHOUT THE VARIOUS PARTS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE ON EXISTING MUNICIPAL SERVICES.

AND WE CERTAINLY WENT THROUGH A SET OF CRITERIA TO IDENTIFY WHAT WE FELT WERE THE TOP FIVE.

I'LL ASK MS. WHITE IF SHE WOULD SPEAK TO THEN WHY THESE NOW? THESE ARE ONES THAT WE SAW FROM A RANGE OF CRITERIA THAT WE INCLUDED, INCLUDING THERE THE ABILITY TO DEVELOP, THE ABILITY TO LINK TO EXISTING SERVICES, THE TOPOGRAPHY, ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT FACTORS WERE INCLUDED AND THE CRITERIA WERE INCLUDED IN THERE AND ARE, OF COURSE, LISTED OUT IN THE MEMO, WHICH I DIDN'T PULL UP IN FRONT OF ME RIGHT NOW, BUT I'LL ASK MS. WHITE IF SHE COULD SPEAK TO WHAT SOME OF THOSE CRITERIA WERE AND WHY THESE WERE SELECTED.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.

AND TO GO BACK JUST TO THE FIRST PART OF THE QUESTION, WHEN LOOKING AT THESE PARCELS, THIS IS, AS I SAID, I THINK THREE OR FOUR TIMES WE'RE AT THE BEGINNING.

AND IN ORDER TO ANSWER SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I'M SURE ALL OF COUNCIL AND OR THE PUBLIC HAVE, WE NEED TO MOVE TO THE NEXT STEP, WHICH IS GATHERING INFORMATION AND RESEARCH SO THAT WE CAN BE INFORMED BEFORE WE TAKE THE NEXT STEP, WHICH IS, YES, COUNCIL, THIS IS A GOOD IDEA OR NO COUNCIL THIS IS FOR X, Y, Z REASON, NOT A GOOD IDEA.

SO I THINK MOVING FORWARD AT THIS POINT ISN'T SAYING THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SHOVELS IN THE GROUND BY THE END OF THE SUMMER.

THIS IS SAYING, ADMINISTRATION, PLEASE GO GATHER THE INFORMATION ON SPECIFIC AREAS SO THAT A.

COUNCIL CAN BE BETTER INFORMED.

BUT THEN IF WE MOVE FORWARD TO DEVELOPMENT THAT WE CAN THEN PRESENT THAT INFORMATION TO MUNICIPAL RESIDENTS AS WELL AS BUSINESSES WHO ARE INTERESTED IN THIS PROCESS . AND THE ONES THAT WERE, WE'LL SAY THE FIRST FIVE DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEY'RE THE ONLY ONES THAT ALSO COULD BE CONSIDERED BY COUNCIL AS WELL. THESE WERE THE ONES THAT HAD, IN OUR OPINION AND I SAY OUR, WHICH IS ALL OF THE CITY DEPARTMENTS, BECAUSE WE DID LOOK AT THIS TOGETHER, NOT JUST PLANNING, CAN IT BE SERVICED RELATIVELY EASILY WITH THE LEAST AMOUNT OF COST AS WELL AS CAN WE HAVE FIRE PROTECTION?

[01:35:02]

BECAUSE AGAIN, WE'RE TALKING SPECIFICALLY OF RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT HERE, WHEREAS IF WE'RE BUILDING, SAY, A NEW SUBDIVISION, REGARDLESS OF WHERE IT IS, IT MAY NOT BE CONNECTED TO SOMETHING THAT WE ALREADY HAVE IN PLACE WOULD POSSIBLY REQUIRE THE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW PARKS, NEW TRAILS, NEW ROADS AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT HAS BEEN MENTIONED BEFORE.

SO TRYING TO MAKE THE HIGHEST AND BEST USE OF WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE IS REALLY WHERE THESE CAME FROM.

AS I SAID, IT'S NOT TO SAY THE ONES FURTHER DOWN THE LIST AREN'T VIABLE, IT'S JUST IT'S A LONG TERM PROCESS.

SO WHAT CAN WE MANAGE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IN A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME? SO THAT'S REALLY WHERE THOSE CAME FROM.

BUT GOING BACK TO THE QUESTION.

I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE MOVE FORWARD TO FIND THE RESEARCH, DO THE RESEARCH, FIND THE ANSWERS BEFORE WE PRESENT AN ACTUAL FORMAL PROPOSAL FOR DEVELOPMENT TO COUNCIL. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. I DO HAVE A FOLLOW UP, I GUESS.

YEAH. SO I GUESS RECOGNIZING THAT SOME OF THESE PARCELS MAY OR MAY NOT MOVE FORWARD ONCE ALL THAT WORK IS DONE AN THAT PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT IS DONE, AND THAT THINGS ARE CONSTANTLY CHANGING WITH, YOU KNOW, MINES CLOSING, HOPEFULLY GETTING SOME LAND FROM THE GNWT THROUGH OUR BLOCK LAND TRANSFER REQUESTS.

IS THERE ANY REASON WHY ADMINISTRATION WOULD BE AGAINST OR WOULD NOT BE IN FAVOR OF ALL NINE THAT WERE PRESENTED IN THE JANUARY 16TH GPC AGENDA? IS THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN ELABORATE ON WITH RESPECT TO THAT? MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

CERTAINLY WE FELT ALL NINE WAS A LOT.

CERTAINLY WE WANTED TO MAKE THIS INTO SOMETHING THAT WAS A LITTLE BIT MORE MANAGEABLE, BITE SIZED CHUNKS TO BE ABLE TO START THE PROCESS WITH THESE THAT WE FELT THAT WERE THE TOP FIVE OPTIMAL POTENTIAL LOCATIONS TO START TO PURSUE.

MS. WHITE, ANYTHING TO ADD? I WOULD LIKE TO CONSIDER ALL OF THE PROPERTIES AS KIND OF A CONTINUUM, SO AS POTENTIALLY SOME OF THEM ARE DEVELOPED BY THE TIME THEY'RE ACTUALLY TO MARKET, BECAUSE AS WE SAID, THEY MAY NOT ALL BE VIABLE BY THE TIME THEY'RE IN MARKET, THEN WE WOULD THEN MOVE TO THE NEXT PIECE AND THE NEXT PIECE SO THAT WE HAVE LAND AVAILABLE. I KNOW I NOTED LAST WEEK THAT WE HAD ONE LOT AVAILABLE.

WELL, I GUESS THAT WAS ADVERTISEMENT ENOUGH BECAUSE WE'RE NOW AT ZERO.

SO IT'S A CONTINUUM AND IT'S NOT DO THIS AND THEN STOP AND WAIT.

IT'S TO PREPARE FOR WHAT COULD COME IN THE FUTURE.

AND IF THERE IS A DIP OR A SLIDE, THEN WE ARE ABLE TO PAUSE IN THAT POSITION.

BUT NOT THAT WE'RE STOPPING BECAUSE IN FIVE YEARS OR TEN YEARS WE MIGHT NEED IT AND THEN DO WE HAVE TO START FROM THE VERY BEGINNING AGAIN.

OR IS IT SOMETHING THAT WE'VE ALREADY PLANNED FOR AND CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH WHEN WE NEED IT? BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN A POSITION AND WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH, SO TRYING TO MITIGATE THAT RISK.

THANK YOU. COUNCILLOR HENDRIKSEN.

THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. I SAID THIS DURING MY QUESTIONING EARLIER.

THE POINT THAT I'M STUCK ON THROUGH ALL OF THIS IS I DON'T KNOW WHAT I DON'T KNOW YET.

AND ADMINISTRATION HAS SPOKEN TO THAT REALITY.

AND SO WHILE I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT RESIDENTS SAID TONIGHT AND I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING YOU'RE SAYING, AND IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS THAT I DECIDED TO RUN LAST ELECTION, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DEFINITELY TO WORK ON AS A COUNCIL, AS A CITY, IS HOW WE COMMUNICATE OUT THESE PROCESSES TO PEOPLE.

BECAUSE ONE THING THAT I NOTICED THROUGH THE EMAILS THAT I RECEIVED AND THE PEOPLE WHO I MANAGED TO GET BACK TO.

THE APPRECIATION OF JUST, OH, IT'S NOT DONE AND REALIZING THAT.

AND SO WITH THAT.

JUST SPEAKING TO THE FACT THAT I AM A PERSON, AS I SAID EARLIER, WHO IS OBSESSED WITH PROCESS, AND I KNOW A COUPLE OF OTHER COUNCILLORS ARE AS WELL.

SO WHILE I HEAR THE CONCERNS OF RESIDENTS AND I REALLY DO HEAR YOU AND I KNOW EVERYBODY UP HERE DOES.

WE WILL BE FOLLOWING THIS PROCESS.

WE WILL BE MAKING SURE THIS PROCESS IS FOLLOWED.

AND IF YOU FEEL LIKE IT'S NOT, I WANT YOU TELLING ME THAT THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED AND THAT YOU FEEL THAT'S NOT HAPPENING.

WITH THAT, THOUGH, SOMETHING I DON'T ALSO WANT TO HEAR AND I MENTIONED THIS IN MY COMMENTS EARLIER, IS I DON'T WANT TO HEAR THAT THIS IS WASTED WORK.

THIS IS WORK THAT HAS TO HAPPEN.

IT'S BEEN MENTIONED. WE NEED RESIDENTIAL HOUSING.

IT MIGHT BE DIFFERENCES OF OPINION ON WHEN IT'S NEEDED, AND THAT'S PART OF THE RESEARCH I THINK THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN.

BUT WE NEED TO DO THE WORK TO KNOW.

I MEAN, IN MY OWN JOB, I WOULD FEEL REMISS IF I DIDN'T BRING ALL OPTIONS TO THE TABLE.

AND WHILE, YES, WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF APPROVING TO DO MORE WORK, THAT'S THE POSITION WE'RE IN, AND I'LL END UP SUPPORTING THAT ULTIMATELY THIS EVENING IN

[01:40:01]

AND YOU'VE SPOKEN TO IT A LITTLE BIT ALREADY FROM AN ADMINISTRATIVE PERSPECTIVE, BUT CAN YOU SPEAK TO THE TOOLS THAT ARE AVAILABLE WITHIN THE CITY'S TOOLKIT NOW AROUND DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT? AND I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU SAID AROUND THAT IT'S NOT NECESSARILY RESIDENTIAL FOR SURE, BUT THOSE TOOLS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR TOOLKIT, WHAT ARE THE TOOLS THAT WE COULD HAVE THAT WE HAVEN'T GIVEN OURSELVES AS A COUNCIL? WHAT ARE THE TOOLS THAT WE NEED TO GO KNOCKING ON THE LEGIS.

DOOR TO SAY WE NEED? BECAUSE AN ELECTION FOR THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY IS COMING UP AND I WANT TO KNOW WHAT TOOLS WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO GO AND DO THAT.

AND I APPRECIATE THAT.

I'M ASKING YOU THIS QUESTION NOW, AND YOU MAY NOT HAVE ALL OF THE ANSWERS.

SO SAYING THAT YOU'LL BRING THEM BACK IS TOTALLY FINE.

BUT THOSE ARE ALL ANSWERS I WILL WANT ANSWERS TO AT SOME POINT.

SO I'LL PASS.

I GUESS THAT'S THE QUESTION ULTIMATELY AFTER THE FIRST BIT.

SO I'LL PASS IT OVER TO ADMINISTRATION.

THANKS.

MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.

AND CERTAINLY MS. WHITE SPOKE EARLIER TO THE WORK THAT WILL BE GETTING UNDERWAY AROUND THE DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES TO CLEARLY SEE WHAT IT IS THAT WE NEED TO DO TO REALLY SPARK DEVELOPMENT IN OUR DOWNTOWN. THE OTHER PART OF THIS IS WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING FROM AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT LENS AS WELL AROUND DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION.

AND THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT ARE ON OUR WORK PLAN THAT WE ARE HOPING TO BRING FORWARD.

I DON'T KNOW IF MS. THISTLE IS IN A POSITION TO SPEAK TO THAT RIGHT NOW OR THERE'S CERTAINLY I KNOW THAT WE HAVE WORK UNDER THE DIRECTION OF COUNCIL TO BE ABLE TO BRING THIS BACK. SOME THINGS WILL BE GETTING UNDERWAY IN 2023, WE ANTICIPATE.

BUT I'LL JUST SEE. I'LL OPEN IT UP AND SEE IF MS. THISTLE HAS ANYTHING SHE'D LIKE TO ADD TO THE REVITALIZATION ANGLE.

THANKS. YEAH.

WE'RE WORKING CLOSELY WITH PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT.

AS MS. WHITE INDICATED EARLIER ON THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE INCENTIVES, NOT JUST THE DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE BYLAW, BUT INCENTIVES LIKE IN GENERAL, WE'VE HAD PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT SURVEYS FACILITATE DISCUSSIONS AND THAT WORK IS ONGOING AND WE'LL BE BACK BEFORE COUNCIL IN Q ONE OR TWO.

I CAN'T REMEMBER WHICH IS IN THE WORK PLAN.

SOME RELATED DEVELOPMENT IS THE VISITOR CENTER RELOCATION OPENING UP IN THE CENTER SQUARE MALL THAT HAPPENED IN SEPTEMBER OF 2022.

SO WE'RE ALREADY SEEING HUGE INCREASE IN VISITATION NUMBERS.

THEN THERE'S THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING WITH SOME PARTNERS IN THE AGRICULTURE STRATEGY GROW THAT WILL LEAD TO SOME AGRICULTURE ACTIVITIES, HOPEFULLY IN AND AROUND THE DOWNTOWN AREA.

SO THERE'S MANY INITIATIVES ONGOING FROM THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT LENS TO IMPLEMENT ACTIVITIES THAT HAVE BEEN RECOMMENDED IN MANY OF THE STRATEGIES WE HAVE RETAIL REVITALIZATION, THE VISITOR SERVICES STRATEGY, THE WORK WE'RE DOING ON THE DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES, OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF PAPERWORK THAT NOW WE'RE GOING TO PUTTING OUR FEET TO THE GROUND AND IMPLEMENTING THE ACTIONS.

SO ANOTHER ONE WOULD BE THE ACCOMMODATION LEVY, WHICH WOULD AGAIN THEN LEAD TO A DESTINATION MARKETING ORGANIZATION WHICH WOULD THEN PROMOTE YELLOWKNIFE AS A PLACE TO VISIT.

SO A LOT OF THINGS HAPPENING AND IS MORE SPECIFICALLY OUTLINED IN THE WORK PLAN.

THANKS FOR THAT. I GUESS MADAM MAYOR I GUESS THE QUESTION WOULD BE IS, AS PART OF THAT WORK, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE NOT ONLY THE INCENTIVES, BUT THE DISINCENTIVES THAT WE CAN BRING TO BEAR ON PROPERTY OWNERS.

THE STICK, AS COUNCILLOR FEQUET JUST SAID, AS WELL AS THE CARROT BEHIND THE INCENTIVES.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN JUST RECOMMEND THAT THAT WORK IS WRAPPED UP IN THAT, THAT THOSE DISINCENTIVES ARE ALSO CAPTURED.

OR IF WE NEED AN ACTUAL MOTION, I'LL GIVE THE DIRECTION OVER TO YOURSELF ON THAT.

BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT AS PART OF THAT WORK.

ABSOLUTELY. MS. BASSI-KELLETT WILL THERE BE ANY DISINCENTIVES BEING RECOMMENDED AS WELL AT WHEN ADMINISTRATION COMES FORWARD? WE NEVER LIKE TO DISS.

[LAUGHTER] MS. WHITE. IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO ADD.

SURE. SO AGAIN, WHAT WE'RE BRINGING FORWARD WILL BE WITHIN OUR CURRENT WITHIN COUNCIL'S CURRENT LEGISLATIVE ABILITIES.

HOWEVER, IF THERE WERE SUGGESTIONS THAT YOU MAY NEED TO CHANGE THEM, THAT'S WHEN WE WOULD SAY COUNCIL YOU MAY NEED TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION.

IT'S WITH WHICHEVER, WHETHER IT'S THE GNWT OR ELSEWHERE TO BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.

SO DISINCENTIVES.

SURE. WE COULD CALL THAT.

WELL, WE'LL FIND A DIFFERENT NAME FOR THEM, THOUGH, BUT YEAH.

OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THAT. YOU CAN ABSOLUTELY FIND A DIFFERENT NAME, BUT IT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING AND BACK TO I NEED TO KNOW WHAT I DON'T KNOW RIGHT NOW IS WHAT ARE THE TOOLS

[01:45:03]

I THINK WE ALL DO.

AND THEN JUST ONE OTHER THING IS JUST A BRIEF COMMENT.

IT'S NOT FOR ADMINISTRATION, JUST GENERALLY FOR COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, AND IT'S NOT FOR TONIGHT'S DISCUSSION REALLY, BUT IT DOES WRAP UP.

WE ALL HEARD IT AS PART OF THE CONVERSATION WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO STICK IN MY HEAD AS THIS WORK PROGRESSES IF IT DOES.

IS THE QUALITY OF BUILDING THAT OCCURS AND HOW WE REQUIRE BUILDING TO FIT IN WITH THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AS BEST AS POSSIBLE.

WE ALL HEARD FREQUENTLY JUST DON'T BLAST THE ROCKS.

ALISON MCCREESH DID A GREAT CARTOON.

IF ANYBODY WANTS TO SEE IT, SHE HAD IT ON FACEBOOK, BUT WHEN I SAW IT, I WAS LIKE THAT SHE NAILED IT.

SHE ENCAPSULATED SO MUCH OF MY OWN THINKING THROUGH THIS.

SO JUST KEEP THOSE KIND OF THINGS IN OUR HEADS AS THIS WORK CONTINUES ANYWAY I'LL PASS IT BACK OVER.

THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. THANK YOU.

THE OTHER THING THAT WE'VE BEEN LOBBYING FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS IS THAT THE GNWT UPDATE, THEIR PROPERTY ASSESSMENT AND TAXATION ACT.

THEY'VE SIGNALED THAT THEY'LL CONSIDER IT FOR THE 20TH ASSEMBLY.

ONCE THEY ACTUALLY FIRMLY COMMIT MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE THAT WE INVEST A BIT OF TIME TO ACTUALLY CREATE A DOCUMENTATION OR A DOCUMENT THAT A BIT OF A DISCUSSION PAPER THAT WILL OUTLINE THE CITY'S POSITION AND HOW WE WANT TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS.

THERE'S LOTS OF STUFF THAT COMES FORWARD DURING MILL RATE DISCUSSION.

BUSINESSES AND RESIDENTS WANT US TO CONSIDER THIS OR THAT.

SO BEFORE MAKING OUR RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE GNWT, WHICH ALSO THERE'S WE CAN CREATE A VACANT PROPERTY TAX, BUT WE CAN'T CREATE A DERELICT OR UNDERUSED. AND THAT'S WHAT A LOT OF OTHER MUNICIPALITIES USE TO TRY TO USE THE STICK.

SO WE'VE REACHED BEYOND OUR 90 MINUTE MARK.

SO LET'S TAKE A TEN MINUTE BREAK AND COME BACK AT 8:58 P.M..

OK. WE WILL CALL OUR MEETING BACK TO ORDER.

DO WE HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? SEEING. OH, SORRY, I DO.

MS. BASSI-KELLETT JUST WONDERING, WHAT DO WE HAVE A STATUS UPDATE IN REGARD TO OUR DISTRICT HEATING POLICY? THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR.

YES. THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT PROJECT FOR US THAT WAS IDENTIFIED UNDER OUR COMMUNITY AND CORPORATE ENERGY PLAN.

CERTAINLY WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE MID-POINT OF THE PLAN AROUND 2020, COUNCIL HAD IDENTIFIED THAT DEVELOPING OUR DISTRICT ENERGY POLICY WOULD BE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WOULD GET US THE BIGGEST BANG FOR THE BUCK.

AND SO CERTAINLY WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THAT 2020.

OF COURSE, WE KNOW WHEN WE WERE GOING [INAUDIBLE].

WE CERTAINLY HAVE BEEN SIDELINED A LITTLE BIT AND DELAYED WITH THE WORLD EVENTS SINCE THEN.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS A BIG PRIORITY FOR US WITH OUR CONSULTANT.

AND I WILL ASK MR. GREENCORN IF HE HAS ANYTHING MORE SPECIFIC IN TERMS OF WHEN WE'RE EXPECTING TO SEE THE POLICY RESULTS.

THANK YOU. THANKS FOR THE QUESTION.

WE HAVE THE DRAFT DOCUMENT FOR REVIEW UNDER ADMINISTRATION.

MY BEST GUESS WOULD BE TO HAVE THAT VETTED BY US AND THEN COMMENTS BACK TO THE CONSULTANT WITH RESPONSE TO COUNCIL, I WOULD GUESS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN Q2 AND Q3 2023.

SO THIS YEAR FOR SURE.

THANKS. AND MY QUESTION IS, BECAUSE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT YOU KNOW, MAKING WITH THE CARBON TAX INCREASE ALL THAT STUFF AND DISTRICT HEATING FOR OUR NEXT RESIDENTIAL AREA.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOMETIMES MAYBE A PARCEL OF LAND WHICH IS WHERE IT HAS TO GO OR THERE'S GOT TO BE PIPE LAID IN THE GROUND.

SO IT'S ALWAYS EASIER TO DO SOMETHING BEFORE VERSUS COMING IN AFTER.

SO I'M HOPING THAT IT CAN BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION FOR ONE OF THESE PARCELS OF LAND.

AND I ASSUME THEN IT WOULD HAVE TO BE PART OF THE AREA DEVELOPMENT PLAN AGAIN TO TO IDENTIFY I BELIEVE THE AREA DEVELOPMENT PLAN ALSO SPEAKS TO OUR PIPED INFRASTRUCTURE AND WHETHER STUFF'S ABOVE GROUND OR UNDERGROUND.

SO HOPING, THAT CAN BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION.

BUT I'LL LEAVE THAT, PLANT THAT SEED, AND LOOK FORWARD TO READING THE DISTRICT HEATING POLICY WHEN IT COMES TO COUNCIL.

WITH THAT, WE WILL START.

COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN, YOU HAVE AN AMENDMENT? I DO. SO DO I READ IT AND THEN OK.

SO IT IS EXACTLY THE SAME AS THE ORIGINAL ONE.

WOULD YOU LIKE OTHER THAN ONE TAKING OUT ONE PLOT, WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO READ THE WHOLE THING OR JUST.

[01:50:03]

THAT'S CORRECT. YEAH. DO WE HAVE A SECONDER TO THE MOTION COUNCILLOR FEQUET.

COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOUR MOTION.

THANK YOU. THANKS [INAUDIBLE].

AND SO FIRST OFF, I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT I AM IN FAVOR OF INFILL, AND I BELIEVE IT'S ESSENTIAL AS WE LOOK TO MEET OUR CURRENT AND FUTURE HOUSING NEEDS.

HOWEVER, IN WEIGHING THE COSTS AND BENEFITS OF DEVELOPING BLOCK 77 A, I BELIEVE THAT THE COSTS SIGNIFICANTLY OUTWEIGH THE BENEFITS.

THIS IS DUE TO THREE UNIQUE FACTORS THAT I BELIEVE MAKE BLOCK 77A INAPPROPRIATE FOR DEVELOPMENT.

IN SHORT, THESE ARE THE FACT THAT THIS IS A WELL USED COMMUNITY DEVELOPED AREA FOR RECREATION, INCLUDING A SKATE AND BIKE PARK.

THIS IS A LOW LYING AND UNIQUE WETLAND ADJACENT TO AND INEXORABLY LINKED WITH A BIRD SANCTUARY, AND THAT DEVELOPING THIS LOT WOULD MEAN EXPANDING TRUCKED WATER SERVICE. I'M KEENLY AWARE THAT WE NEED HOUSING.

HOWEVER, THIS MUST BE BALANCED WITH ALLOWING RESIDENTS ACCESS TO GREEN SPACE AND RECREATION AREAS.

THE COMMUNITY PLAN STATES THAT LAND USES AND ASSOCIATED ACTIVITIES IN OLD TOWN SHOULD BE BALANCED TO PRESERVE THE ORGANIC AND HISTORIC BUILT FORM OF THE AREA WHILE ADDRESSING THE GROWTH PRESSURES AND INCREASED TOURISM AND COMMERCIAL INTEREST.

BY REMOVING BLOCK 77 A BUT GOING AHEAD WITH BLOCK 78 ACROSS THE STREET, ALONG WITH THE NEIGHBORING ONGOING CONSTRUCTION.

I BELIEVE WE WOULD BE ACHIEVING THIS BALANCE.

THE COMMUNITY HAS CREATED AT THEIR OWN COST OF TIME AND MONEY AN ORGANIC RECREATIONAL SPACE IN THE FORM OF A SKATE AND BIKE PARK, AS WELL AS MAINTAINING THE TRAILS THAT CONNECT THE WOODYARD AREA TO ROTARY PARK.

THIS ORGANIC GREEN SPACE DEVELOPMENT AT NO COST TO THE CITY, PROVIDES BOTH RECREATION FOR RESIDENTS AND OPEN PUBLIC ACCESS TO THE WATERFRONT IN A CITY THAT COULD ALWAYS USE MORE OF BOTH. DEVELOPMENT IN THIS AREA WILL PUSH HUMAN ACTIVITY AND ASSOCIATED EXTERNALITIES INTO A UNIQUE BIRD SANCTUARY AND TAKE ON ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES SUCH AS THE RISK OF FLOODING AND ALTERING NATURAL DRAINAGE PATTERNS.

WITH RISING INCIDENTS OF UNUSUAL WEATHER AND WATER LEVELS I BELIEVE IT WOULD BE ADVANTAGEOUS TO PRESERVE THE EXISTING NATURAL WETLAND BUFFER TO PROTECT SCHOOL DRAW AND SURROUNDING INFRASTRUCTURE FROM POTENTIAL FLOODING AND EROSION.

ONE FURTHER CONSIDERATION IS THAT IS THE FACT THAT THESE LOTS WOULD VERY LIKELY BE SERVICED BY TRUCKED WATER.

I'M IN FAVOR OF AVOIDING FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS REQUIRING THIS EXPENSIVE SERVICE WHEN POSSIBLE.

FINDING A BALANCE BETWEEN MAINTAINING GREEN SPACE AND THE NEED TO CREATE MORE HOUSING IS A CHALLENGING ONE.

IN THIS INSTANCE, I BELIEVE THAT SIGNIFICANT AND UNIQUE COSTS OF DEVELOPING THIS LOT OUTWEIGH THE BENEFITS OF FOUR, MAYBE A COUPLE MORE RESIDENTIAL LOTS.

I LOOK FORWARD TO A DISCUSSION WITH MY COLLEAGUES AND HEARING THEIR THOUGHTS ON THE MATTER.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

MS. BASSI-KELLETT. CAN WE GET CONFIRMATION? IS THAT LOT WOULD THAT BE TRUCKED WATER OR PIPED WATER? I KNOW THAT'S KIND OF A BIT OF A GRAY ZONE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I KNOW THIS WELL, LIVING AT ON THAT STREET.

SO HAVE NOT BROUGHT FORWARD ANY PROPOSALS FOR INFILL THAT WOULD BE ON TRUCKED WATER.

WE ARE TRYING TO UTILIZE EXISTING MUNICIPAL INFRASTRUCTURE SO THAT PART OF SCHOOL DRAW WOULD HAVE ACCESS TO PIPED WATER, AS DOES THE DEVELOPMENT ACROSS THE STREET.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

CAN I ASK A QUESTION? YOU BET.

COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN. JUST TO CLARIFY, THAT SIDE OF THE STREET IS ALL TRUCKED WATER.

SO DOES THIS MEAN NO? JUST THE OFFSHOOTS ARE LIKE 44TH.

SO THERE IS SO.

BUT IT WOULD STILL MEAN MOVING A PIPE UNDER THE STREET.

MS. BASSI-KELLETT. THERE IS PIPED WATER ON THAT STREET, CERTAINLY ON THE SIDE WHERE BARDOM IS.

AND IT WOULD BE A VERY EASY AND STRAIGHTFORWARD THING TO PUT PIPED WATER JUST ACROSS THAT STREET.

THANK YOU. BECAUSE THERE IS PIPE WATER ON THAT SIDE OF SCHOOL DRAW CURRENTLY.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

THANKS FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.

MY OTHER CONCERNS STILL STAND.

YEAH, FOR SURE.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS ON THE AMENDMENT? COUNCILLOR WARBURTON. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

YEAH, AS AS AMENDED.

I'LL NOT BE SUPPORTING THIS MOTION.

ALL THE CURRENT USE IS IMPACTS TO THIS POTENTIAL LOT ON SCHOOL DRAW THAT COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN REFERS TO ARE REAL AND THEY'RE DEFINITELY IMPORTANT TO RESIDENTS.

CHANGING THESE CURRENT USES OF THE LAND WILL HAVE AN IMPACT ON RESIDENTS WHO CURRENTLY ENJOY THAT SPACE.

THESE SAME IMPACTS ARE ALSO TRUE FOR ALL OTHER POTENTIAL AREAS WE ARE DISCUSSING TODAY.

AS WE HAVE HEARD FROM RESIDENTS OF VIRTUALLY EVERY PROPOSED AREA ON THIS LIST.

BUILDING IN ANY OF THESE AREAS WILL HAVE AN IMPACT ON RESIDENTS AND HOW THE USE OF SPACES .

IF WE ELIMINATE BASED ON NOT PROTECTING.

IF WE ELIMINATE BASED ON NOT IMPACTING ANYONE, WE WON'T BE BUILDING ANYTHING ON ANY OF THESE LOTS.

I WANT TO BE CLEAR HERE THAT BY REMOVING THIS SCHOOL DRAW LOT FOR CONSIDERATION, WE ARE NOT JUST MITIGATING OUR BALANCE AND IMPACT ON CURRENT USES.

[01:55:01]

THE PRECEDENT THIS SETS IS THAT WE'RE WILLING TO CHANGE LONG TERM, FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE AND COMMUNITY GOALS TO AVOID NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF ANY KIND.

THIS CHANGE MEANS WE ARE NOT FOLLOWING THE INTENT OF THE COMMUNITY PLAN OR ASSET MANAGEMENT PLAN.

WE'RE WORKING ON OUR ZONING BYLAW, WHICH, ALTHOUGH WERE A FEW YEARS OLD, WERE COMPLETED WITH VERY EXTENSIVE PUBLIC CONSULTATION.

INFILL IS HOW WE SUSTAINABLY GROW OUR CITY, WHILE NOT DRASTICALLY INCREASING TAXES OR BURDENING FUTURE RESIDENTS WITH AN EVER INCREASING INFRASTRUCTURE DEFICIT.

FOLLOWING LONG TERM, FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE PLANNING FOR OUR CITY WILL MAKE US UNPOPULAR IN THE SHORT TERM.

BUT THIS IS THE JOB ADDRESSING THE HOUSING CRISIS AND OUR SIGNIFICANT AND VERY, VERY, VERY EXPENSIVE INFRASTRUCTURE DEFICIT REQUIRES ALL THE LAND THAT IS PROPOSED JUST TO CATCH UP TO HOUSING NEED.

CURRENT DEVELOPMENT WE ARE SEEING IN OUR CITY WILL BARELY MAKE A DENT IN THE CORE HOUSING NEED OF OUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS.

I KNOW THIS WILL CHANGE OUR COMMUNITY, BUT THE ALTERNATIVE IS WE HAVE NO [INAUDIBLE] TO HOUSE PEOPLE.

WE HAVE TO INCREASE TAXES EVEN MORE TO COVER LARGER AND LARGER INFRASTRUCTURE DEFICITS.

AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE CHALLENGES ATTRACTING PEOPLE TO LIVE AND WORK IN OUR COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

COUNCILLOR PAYNE. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

MADAM MAYOR, I WON'T BE SUPPORTING THE MOTION AS AMENDED.

IT'S HARD FOR ME TO SORT OF PICK AND CHOOSE WHICH PROPERTIES ON THIS LIST GET TAKEN OUT AND WHICH ONES STAY.

THE CITY HAS DONE A I THINK, A PRETTY GOOD JOB IN WEIGHING THE PROS AND CONS OF ALL THESE PROPERTIES.

AND EVERY PROPERTY HERE IS SPECIAL TO SOMEBODY.

AND WHEREVER WE LIVE IN TOWN, THAT AREA IS SPECIAL LOSS AS WELL.

SO I WON'T BE SUPPORTING THE MOTION.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

COUNCILLOR HENDRIKSEN. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR.

I WILL SUPPORT THIS MOTION AS AMENDED.

MY LOGIC BEING THROUGHOUT THE EVENING, I SAID, I DON'T KNOW WHAT I DON'T KNOW.

BUT WITH THIS LOT, I DO KNOW WHAT I DO KNOW, WHICH IS THAT IT'S ON THE EDGE OF GREAT SLAVE LAKE IN OUR CITY, WHERE WE HAVE VERY LIMITED ACCESS FOR THE GENERAL POPULATION TO ACTUALLY GET ACCESS TO THE LAKE FROM A PUBLIC PLACE.

AND THIS ABUTS A BIRD SANCTUARY THAT ABUTS THE NATURE PRESERVE.

AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, WELL, THROUGH THE REST OF THE REGULATORY PROCESS THAT WILL BE GOING THROUGH.

NATURE DOESN'T HAVE A SAY ON THIS ONE.

[LAUGHTER] SO WE HAVE TO SPEAK UP FOR FOR IT.

AND SO FOR THIS LOT IN PARTICULAR, I WILL SUPPORT THE MOTION AT THIS TIME.

THE AMENDMENT WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THAT FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE PROPERTIES WE'LL BE GOING THROUGH THE REGULATORY PROCESS WHERE PEOPLE WILL HAVE THE VOICE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

ANY FURTHER COMMENTS ON THE MOTION, COUNCILLOR MCGURK.

IT IS A QUESTION. I AM SORT OF STRUGGLING WITH THIS ONE BECAUSE I DO THINK THAT INFILL IS VERY IMPORTANT.

I ALSO THINK THAT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THIS PARTICULAR PARCEL OF LAND FOR ME AND THE REST THAT ARE ON THE DOCKET IS THE PROXIMITY TO THE WETLAND AND TO THE NATURE TO THE SPECIFIC TO THE BIRD SANCTUARY.

SO I'M WONDERING IF WE FIND THAT PRESERVATION OF WETLAND SORT OF USURPS THE THE INTERESTS OR REALLY SERIOUSLY OBSCURES THE ABILITY OF OR THE ABILITY TO DEVELOP THE AREA.

AT WHAT POINT DO WE GIVE UP ON DEVELOPING THE SPACE? MS. BASSI-KELLETT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THIS WOULD BE PART OF OUR EXAMINATION OF THE FEASIBILITY OF DEVELOPMENT.

I'LL ASK MS. WHITE IF SHE HAS ANYTHING MORE THAT SHE WOULD LIKE TO ADD ON HOW THAT WILL IMPACT THINGS LIKE THE NATURE PRESERVE.

SURE. SO WE IN OUR COMMUNITY PLAN DON'T HAVE ACTUAL SPECIFIED SETBACKS FOR WHETHER IT'S WETLAND, WHETHER IT'S NATURE PRESERVE ANY ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURE.

DEFINITELY SOMETHING WE'LL BE RECOMMENDING IN THE FUTURE.

HOWEVER, WHEN WE TAKE A LOOK AT THIS, I KNOW IT'S BEEN MENTIONED THIS EVENING THAT ALL DEVELOPMENT HAS IMPACT, BUT WHEN THAT IMPACT BECOMES THAT NEGATIVE IMPACT, ESPECIALLY IN THOSE WETLANDS NATURAL AREAS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ACTUALLY A TEST FOR THAT.

PART OF THE REVIEW WOULD BE AN ENVIRONMENTAL EVALUATION.

SO AN EIA, EIS WHICHEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT, THAT'S THE PROCESS THAT WOULD INFORM THAT BY QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS, SO NOT BY MYSELF OR MY STAFF, BUT IT WOULD BE A THIRD PARTY. THANK YOU.

WOULD WE BE CONDUCTING THAT, ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT ON ANY OF THESE PROPERTIES? MS. BASSI-KELLETT. MS. WHITE.

POTENTIALLY, YES.

IT'S ALL PART OF THAT DEVELOPMENT PROCESS BEFORE I'M ABLE TO BRING A REPORT FORWARD.

THAT'S WHAT MY STAFF WILL WORK TOWARDS.

SO POTENTIALLY ON ALL OF THEM AS WELL AS OTHER THINGS LIKE GEOTECHNICAL, ALL THE GAMUT, SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE YOU THE MOST INFORMATION TO MAKE THAT DECISION. THANK YOU.

[02:00:03]

AND THAT IS A PROCESS THAT WE WILL UNDERGO.

GENERALLY SPEAKING, OR IT'S A PROCESS THAT WE ARE POTENTIALLY GOING TO UNDERGO WITH OTHER LOTS AS WELL.

IT'S NOT AN EXCEPTION FOR THIS.

SO IT'S MONEY THAT WE WOULD BE SPENDING ON ANY OR NOT ANY, BUT MOST OF THE SPACES THAT ARE IN QUESTION.

MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

THANK YOU. YES, IT'S PART OF THE PROCESS OF IDENTIFYING THE FEASIBILITY.

MS. WHITE, ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD? NO, NOTHING ELSE TO ADD. THANK YOU.

OKAY. I GUESS FOR ME, GIVEN THAT WE HAVE A PROCESS IN PLACE FOR, EXAMINING THE IMPACT OF DEVELOPMENT ON AN AREA THAT IS SO CLOSE TO AND HAS THE ABILITY TO IMPACT A VERY IMPORTANT PIECE OF NATURE, I WOULD NOT BE IN SUPPORT OF THE AMENDMENT.

THANK YOU. COUNCILLOR FEQUET.

THANKS JUST A QUESTION FOR ADMINISTRATION.

IF YOU'RE ABLE TO SPEAK TO IT AT THIS TIME.

YOU MENTIONED THE COMMUNITY PLAN DOESN'T HAVE ANY SETBACKS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES OF ANY KIND.

IF IT DID, WHAT'S A TYPICAL SETBACK FOR A WETLAND FROM RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT? MS. BASSI-KELLETT? MS. WHITE.

SO THIS IS A REALLY LONG ANSWER, AND I'LL TRY TO KEEP IT SHORT.

SO THERE ARE DIFFERENT TYPES OF WETLANDS ON AND OFF SHIELD, AND THEN THEY ARE ALL GIVEN A SPECIFIC SCORE.

SO DEPENDING ON THE SCORE, WHETHER THEY'RE DETERMINED TO BE SIGNIFICANT OR NOT, A SIGNIFICANT WETLAND IS USUALLY A 300 METER BUFFER AND THAT GOES DOWN FROM THERE.

SOMETIMES IT'S DOWN TO 15 METERS.

SO IT'S ALL BASED ON THE SCORE, WHICH IS A NATIONAL STANDARD.

SO IT'S NOT JUST A GNWT THING, IT'S CANADA WIDE.

THANK YOU. ANY FURTHER COMMENTS ON THE AMENDMENTS.

FOR MYSELF, I APPRECIATE COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN'S MOTION AND HIS DESIRE TO PROTECT THE SKATE AND BIKE PARK AND THE TRAILS IN THE AREA.

HOWEVER, AT THIS TIME I'M NOT SUPPORTIVE OF REMOVING IT FROM THE LIST FOR CONSIDERATION BECAUSE I THINK SOME OF THE CONCERNS CAN BE WORKED THROUGH IN THE SUBDIVISION PLAN AND ZONING OR ADDRESSED THROUGH THE WORK THAT ADMINISTRATION IS GOING TO GO THROUGH AT THIS NEXT STAGE.

IN REGARDS TO THE SKATE AND BIKE PARK, IT'S ACTUALLY A PRETTY BIG CHUNK OF LAND.

SO WE COULD EVEN MAINTAIN THE CURRENT PARK AND THEN HAVE A TINY HOME DEVELOPMENT FOR THE REST.

EVEN IF YOU WENT WITH BIG HOMES LIKE ON LUNDQUIST, YOU COULD PROTECT THE PARK AND GET A NUMBER OF LOTS IN THE AREA.

AND WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL OF THE PARCELS, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT WAYS TO GET MORE DIVERSE HOUSING IN YELLOWKNIFE.

AND THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE HEARD A LOT OF FROM RESIDENTS OVER THE PAST WEEK, IS PEOPLE WANT HOUSING OPTIONS AND NOT EVERYBODY WANTS TO LIVE IN AN APARTMENT.

AND THERE'S ALWAYS A DEMAND FOR TINY HOMES.

YOU HAVE TO LOOK NO FURTHER THAN THE SHACKS AND THE HOUSEBOATS THAT ARE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND WE HAD A REQUEST FROM RESIDENTS IN 2015 TO DEVELOP LAND FOR TINY HOMES, AND THE CHAMBER WAS PACKED WITH INTEREST.

AND EVERYBODY TALKS ABOUT PRESERVING THE CHARACTER OF THIS AREA.

A TINY HOME DEVELOPMENT COULD DO THAT.

BUT TO BE CLEAR, NOT SAYING THAT THIS IS WHAT SHOULD BE DEVELOPED BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO JUMP AHEAD OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.

I'M JUST MENTIONING IT BECAUSE IT SHOWS PERHAPS THERE'S A DIFFERENT OPTION THAN THE VISION THAT PEOPLE HAVE IN MIND WHEN THEY THINK OF DEVELOPING THIS LOT.

SO FOR ME, I DON'T WANT TO SQUASH THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THIS LAND BEFORE WE EXPLORE IT.

I KNOW IT'S A SENSITIVE AREA AND I THINK WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT LIKE THE RESEARCH IS REQUIRED AND THEN IF THAT ALLOWS FOR THE LAND TO BE DEVELOPED TO CREATE A ZONING AND SUBDIVISION PLAN THAT RESPECTS THE SENSITIVITY OF THE AREA.

SO I WON'T BE SUPPORTING THE AMENDMENT AS PRESENTED.

ANYTHING FURTHER.

COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN TO CLOSE ANY YOU DON'T HAVE TO, BUT IF YOU'D LIKE TO, YOU CAN SAY FINAL COMMENTS? YEAH. THANKS FOR ALL THE COMMENTS FROM EVERYONE.

YEAH. GOOD TO HEAR.

AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A PROCESS.

I JUST THINK IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S NOT WORTH THE TIME AND EFFORT AND MONEY I CAN'T SEE EVEN IF THE SMALLEST SETBACK IS 15 METERS, THIS HAS GOT TO BE WITHIN THAT I JUST CAN'T SEE DEVELOPMENT HERE LEAVING THAT NATURAL WETLAND FEATURE AS IT IS NOW OR EVEN ANYWHERE CLOSE.

SO BUT THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND THE THOUGHTS.

ALWAYS GOOD TO HEAR. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

TO THE AMENDMENTS.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.

OPPOSED. THREE, FOUR, FIVE AND THE MOTION IS DEFEATED WITH COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN, COCHRANE, FEQUET,

[02:05:09]

ARE THERE ANY OTHER AMENDMENTS? SEEING NONE.

SO TO THE MAIN MOTION, I WILL OPEN IT UP TO COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL.

COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN WHY DON'T YOU KICK IT OFF AND THEN COUNCILLOR COCHRANE.

SURE. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

SO, FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO THANK ADMINISTRATION DIRECTOR WHITE AND EVERYONE IN THE PLANNING AND LANDS DEPARTMENT FOR ALL THEIR HARD WORK TO THIS POINT.

IT'S BEEN A BUSY FEW YEARS WITH THE COMMUNITY PLAN, ZONING BYLAW, BUILDING BYLAW.

NOW WE'RE ABOUT TO START YEAR'S MORE WORK ON ENGAGEMENT AND PLANNING TO BRING INFILL LOTS TO MARKET.

THIS IS CENTRAL, NEVER ENDING WORK, AND I'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE HOW LUCKY WE ARE AS A COUNCIL TO HAVE SUCH AN AMAZING TEAM MOVING THIS FORWARD DAY AFTER DAY.

WE AS A COUNCIL HAD A GREAT SEMINAR ON ASSET MANAGEMENT THIS WEEKEND.

AND DURING THE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THINKING, WE HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THINKING AND KNOWING WE CAN AND WE OFTEN NEED TO BASE OUR DECISIONS ON WHAT WE THINK IS TRUE.

IF WE HAVE THE DATA AND EVIDENCE, WE CAN BASE OUR DECISIONS ON WHAT WE KNOW TO BE TRUE.

I KNOW IT TO BE TRUE THAT OUR COMMUNITY SIMPLY CANNOT AFFORD TO CONDUCT LARGE SCALE GREENFIELD DEVELOPMENT ON THE PERIPHERY OF THE CITY.

WE, AS A CITY WILL FACE SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES SIMPLY RENEWING AND REPLACING THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT CURRENTLY EXISTS IN THE NEXT 10 TO 20 YEARS.

THE LIFECYCLE COSTS OF BUILDING NEW LARGE SCALE DEVELOPMENTS ON THE PERIPHERY WOULD NECESSITATE TAX INCREASES THAT ARE SIMPLY NOT REALISTIC FOR ANYONE.

I ALSO KNOW THAT WE, ALONG WITH MUNICIPALITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, ARE FACING A HOUSING CRISIS.

GIVEN THESE TWO FACTS, IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT WE LOOK TO INFILL AS A MEANS TO CREATE MORE HOUSING AND ADDRESS DEMAND.

THIS MOTION TODAY WILL BEGIN THE PROCESS OF ENGAGEMENT AND PLANNING TO DETERMINE IF IT IS IN THE COMMUNITY'S BEST INTEREST TO DEVELOP THESE CITY OWNED LOTS.

IT IS NOT A GREEN LIGHT FOR DEVELOPMENT.

IT IS A GREEN LIGHT FOR CONVERSATION AND FACT GATHERING THAT MAY LEAD TO DEVELOPMENT.

THIS WILL BE A LONG PROCESS WITH MANY STEPS.

I'D LIKE TO THANK ALL THE RESIDENTS WHO HAVE SPOKEN AND WRITTEN TO COUNCIL TO SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS AND CONCERNS.

I WOULD ENCOURAGE THESE RESIDENTS, ALONG WITH EVERYONE ELSE, TO STAY ENGAGED THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.

FOR ANYONE WHO IS INTERESTED, YOU CAN RECEIVE EMAIL ALERTS FOR THE DATES OF PUBLIC HEARINGS BY SEARCHING SUBSCRIBE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE AND CLICKING ON THE FIRST LINK AND YOU FILL IN YOUR INFORMATION.

YOU'LL GET EMAIL UPDATES FOR ALL THE PUBLIC HEARINGS WE'LL BE DOING IN THE YEARS TO COME.

WE AS A COUNCIL HAVE HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR THAT ACCESS TO GREEN SPACE IS IMPORTANT TO RESIDENTS.

I AGREE THAT AVAILABLE GREEN SPACE FOR EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD IS A KEY PART OF A LIVABLE CITY.

I HAVE SOME CONCERNS THAT WE ARE NOT VALUING GREEN SPACE ACCESS HIGHLY ENOUGH AS WE MAKE PLANNING DECISIONS AND THAT WE ARE NOT HEEDING THE NATURAL AREA PRESERVATION STRATEGY.

I'LL SEEK TO ADDRESS THESE CONCERNS BOTH THROUGHOUT THE INFILL ENGAGEMENT PROCESS AS WELL AS DURING FUTURE LAND DEVELOPMENT DISCUSSIONS.

I'D ALSO LIKE TO REMIND MYSELF AND MY COLLEAGUES ON COUNCIL THAT ONCE GREEN SPACE IS DEVELOPED, THERE'S NO GOING BACK.

IT IS A ONE WAY STREET AND THE BENEFITS MUST OUTWEIGH THE COSTS IN PERPETUITY.

I BELIEVE IT IS ESSENTIAL TO KEEP THIS IN MIND AS WE GO FORWARD WITH THIS INFILL PROCESS.

THE INFILL DEVELOPMENT IS ONE PIECE OF THE PUZZLE THE CITY WILL USE TO ADDRESS THE NEED FOR FUTURE AND CURRENT HOUSING.

ANOTHER PIECE IS THE DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE BYLAW THAT WILL COME BEFORE COUNCIL LATER THIS YEAR IS WHERE COUNCIL CAN WORK TO INCENTIVIZE DEVELOPMENT OF PRIVATELY HELD VACANT LOTS DOWNTOWN. I WILL BE VOTING IN SUPPORT OF THIS MOTION.

THIS IS WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE MOTION BEGINS A CONVERSATION THAT WILL DETERMINE FIRST, IF AND THEN WHEN AND HOW LOTS OF DEVELOPED.

DURING THIS PROCESS, I'LL BE LOOKING FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE AMOUNT AND TYPE OF HOUSING REQUIRED IN YELLOWKNIFE, AS WELL AS A NUMBER OF UNITS NOT ONLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION BUT IN THE DESIGN PHASE.

I'LL ALSO BE LOOKING FOR A CLEAR PLAN AS TO HOW WE WILL BALANCE THE NEED FOR GREEN SPACE ACCESS WITH ACTIONS TO ADDRESS THE HOUSING CRISIS.

THANKS AGAIN TO STAFF AND ADMINISTRATION FOR THEIR WORK AND TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR THE ROBUST DISCUSSION.

ALSO TO THE PUBLIC FOR ALL THEIR INPUT.

THANK YOU. COUNCILLOR COCHRANE.

THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. I WANT TO FIRST START OFF BY THANKING ALL OF THOSE WHO EMAILED AND THOSE TONIGHT WHO CAME TO ADVOCATE FOR THE POSITION ON THE TOPIC OF THE PROPOSED INFILL AND DENSIFICATION DEVELOPMENTS.

YOUR PASSION IS APPRECIATED.

YOUR POINTS WERE WELL THOUGHT OUT AND THE ONE COMIC STRIP ENTRY WAS FRICKIN AWESOME.

IT'S NOT EASY TO ARTICULATE WHERE YOU STAND ON AN ISSUE IN GENERAL, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S QUITE LITERALLY HITS CLOSE TO HOME AND FEEL THAT YOU WERE HURT.

I ASSURE YOU THAT YOU WERE BOTH HEARD AND YOUR POSITIONS WERE INCREDIBLY WELL ARTICULATED TONIGHT.

I UNDERSTAND BETTER THAN MOST THE EMOTIONAL CONNECTION TO THE PROPOSED PARCELS.

[02:10:01]

I'M AS ATTACHED TO THESE AREAS AS ANYONE COULD BE.

AND IF THIS WAS AN ENTIRELY AN EMOTIONAL DECISION, THEN I WOULD BE ALONGSIDE THOSE ADVOCATING TO REMOVE ALL SUGGESTED LAWS FROM EVENTUAL DEVELOPMENT.

BUT I HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY AS A COUNCILLOR TO LOOK AT THIS ISSUE WITH AN OPEN MIND AND BE FACTUALLY DRIVEN.

AND THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF A MASSIVE HOUSING SHORTAGE TO THE POINT OF CRISIS, AND THE COUNCIL HAS BEEN GRANTED THE OPPORTUNITY TO TACKLE IT HEAD ON.

ACCORDING TO THE CHMC'S NORTHERN HOUSING REPORT 2022, THE CITY'S CURRENT VACANCY RATE IS AT 2% AND A STAGGERING 17.4% OF OUR INDIGENOUS POPULATION ARE IN CORE HOUSING NEED.

YES, 155 UNITS ARE CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION, BUT THAT DOES NOT KEEP UP WITH THE DEMAND FOR HOMES AND THE UNEXPECTEDLY HIGHER GROWTH OF THE CITY AT 1.5% COMPARED TO THE PREDICTED 0.6%.

THE ACTIONS PROPOSED HERE WILL ALLOW US TO BEGIN TO CATCH UP.

THEY WILL ALLOW NEW FAMILIES TO MOVE AND PROSPER HERE.

IT WILL CREATE THE CURRENT RENTER OR CREATE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR CURRENT RENTERS TO EXERCISE SOCIAL MOBILITY AND JOIN THE HOUSING MARKET.

AND IT WILL ALLOW THE CITY TO DO IT IN BOTH A FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE AND PRUDENT WAY.

IN CONCLUSION, THIS IS NOT THE END.

THERE WILL BE FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES IN THE PROCESS FOR US TO ENGAGE AND DISCUSS THE DEVELOPMENT OF YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS.

HOW WE CAN ADD AND KEEP TO ITS CHARACTER? HOW WE CAN KEEP ADEQUATE GREEN SPACE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS OF YELLOWKNIVERS TO USE AS PLAYGROUNDS AND TO BUILD FORTS AND HOW TO PROTECT THESE TRAILS.

WE WILL FIND COMPROMISES THAT SUITS YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS NEEDS.

BUT I WILL BE SUPPORTING THE MOTION FOR THE PARCELS RECOMMENDED TO BE MOVED TO THE NEXT STEPS OF THE PROCESS TO INFILL AND DENSIFICATION DEVELOPMENT.

ANYTHING ELSE WOULD BE AN INADEQUATE RESPONSE TO A CRISIS.

THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. THANK YOU.

COUNCILLOR MCGURK. YEAH, I THINK, AS COUNCILLOR COCHRANE MENTIONED GROWING UP HERE, GREEN SPACE, IT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING.

IT'S WHAT KEEPS PEOPLE HERE.

IT KEEPS THEM COMING BACK. AND WE DO REALLY HEAR YOU ON THAT.

I THINK ESPECIALLY GROWING UP HERE, I REALLY SEE THE VALUE OF THAT.

I ALSO THINK THAT I'VE SEEN THE WAYS THAT KIND OF DISENGAGING WITH THE IDEA OR DISCOURAGING DEVELOPMENT HAS LED TO DEVELOPMENT THAT IS NOT, I GUESS, IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE COMMUNITY.

AND AND I REALLY DO BELIEVE THE ANSWER OR THE DEVELOPMENT OF BETTER COMMUNITY PLANS AROUND MAINTAINING THESE SPACES IS SORT OF THE ANSWER TO THE CONCERNS THAT ARE PRESENT HERE, BECAUSE WE CANNOT AFFORD TO AS A COMMUNITY BUILD GREENFIELD DEVELOPMENT ECONOMICALLY OR ENVIRONMENTALLY SPEAKING AND IF WE ARE REALLY CONCERNED WITH AND REALLY TAKING SERIOUSLY THE THE IDEA OF MAINTAINING GREEN SPACE, THEN WE NEED TO MORE, MORE EFFECTIVELY.

AND I GUESS WE NEED TO MORE EFFECTIVELY USE THE SPACE THAT WE ALREADY HAVE WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS.

AND I GUESS THE IN TERMS OF USING THE SPACE EFFICIENTLY ANY FORM OF DEVELOPMENT BEYOND TEARING DOWN INCREASING DENSITY OF EXISTING RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS, WHICH WAS STRONGLY SPOKEN AGAINST DURING ZONING BYLAW DEVELOPMENT HEARING IS NOT GOING TO ADDRESS THE HOUSING CRISIS THAT WE HAVE BEFORE US. SO WE CANNOT HAVE A SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY WITHOUT MAKING THESE KIND OF SACRIFICES.

AND IT IS DIFFICULT AND IT IS SAD AND HARD, BUT IT'S, I GUESS, A NECESSARY THING.

THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? FOR MYSELF. LIKE OTHER COUNCILLORS, I'D LIKE TO THANK RESIDENTS WHO EMAILED IN THEIR COMMENTS AND CAME TO SPEAK TONIGHT.

I KNOW WE'RE ALL PASSIONATE ABOUT YELLOWKNIFE, AND I ALSO KNOW THAT CHANGE AND UNCERTAINTY IS HARD AND THESE DISCUSSIONS INVOLVE BOTH AT THIS STAGE AND WE'RE ALL DRAINED AFTER THE PAST TWO YEARS DUE TO CHANGE AND UNCERTAINTY.

BUT AS AN ELECTED LEADER, I NEED TO CONTINUE TO TACKLE THE BIG ISSUES.

AND IN YELLOWKNIFE, HOUSING IS A BIG ISSUE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

SO HOW DID WE GET HERE AND WHERE ARE WE GOING? IN 2018 AND 2019 THE CITY ENGAGED RESIDENTS TO REVIEW AND UPDATE OUR COMMUNITY PLAN.

THE COMMUNITY PLAN IS A BYLAW THAT SETS OUT A VISION FOR THE FUTURE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF YELLOWKNIFE OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS.

IT SETS DIRECTION ON TIMING AND LOCATION OF GROWTH FOR RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL AND INSTITUTIONAL AND RECREATION.

OVER THE TWO YEARS OF ENGAGEMENT, THE BYLAW WAS DRAFTED AND A SEQUENCE FOR RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT WAS INCLUDED.

AS PER THE BYLAW, THE PRIORITIES FOR RESIDENTIAL ARE; ONE DISPOSING OF EXISTING PARCELS IN OUR INVENTORY, WHICH ORIGINALLY SAID WAS WE HAVE ONE LOT ON THE MARKET, BUT APPARENTLY WE SOLD THAT LAST WEEK, SO WE'RE NOW AT ZERO.

SO THIS IS COMPLETE.

THE SECOND IS THE NEXT STEP IS TO FOCUS ON INFILL OPPORTUNITIES IN THE DOWNTOWN CORE, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE DOING BY UPDATING OUR DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE BYLAW.

[02:15:06]

THERE WERE ALSO A NUMBER OF CHANGES IN THE ZONING BYLAW THAT IS ENCOURAGING DEVELOPMENT DOWNTOWN.

NEXT IS INFILL OPPORTUNITIES IN CENTRAL, RESIDENTIAL AND EVEN RESIDENTIAL.

THE COMMUNITY PLAN BYLAW THAT WENT THROUGH THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS AND RECEIVED COUNCIL APPROVAL IN 2020.

PROPOSED BURWASH DRIVE AND CON ROAD SCHOOL DRAW LOT 15 BLOCK 78 NIVEN DRIVE AND NIVEN PHASE EIGHT.

THE FINAL RECOMMENDATION IN THE SEQUENCE AS PER THE COMMUNITY PLAN BYLAW IS THE CON REDEVELOPMENT AREA, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE TAYLOR ROAD BEHIND FOREST DRIVE AND PTARMIGAN ROAD. THE ONE LOT THAT WASN'T IDENTIFIED IN THE COMMUNITY PLAN IS SCHOOL DRAW.

THE PORTION OF BLOCK 77 A PLANNED 512 BUT FIVE YEARS AGO THE REST WERE ALL PART OF THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT ON WHERE TO DEVELOP THE NEXT LOTS FOR HOUSING.

WE HAD COMMUNITY MEETINGS, WE HAD PUBLIC HEARINGS, AND THEN IT WAS PASSED IN 2020.

HOUSING DISCUSSIONS ARE NEVER EASY AND THEY'RE QUITE COMPLEX.

THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION AND THERE ARE A LOT OF COMPETING OR CONFLICTING INTERESTS, SO THERE'S NO WAY TO MAKE EVERYBODY 100% HAPPY.

THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE IN NEED OF HOUSING, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE HOUSES AND ARE PERFECTLY HAPPY WITH HOW EVERYTHING IS RIGHT NOW.

AS MUCH AS FOLKS WOULD PREFER WE BUILD NO NEW HOUSES BESIDE CURRENT HOUSES, THERE ARE FINANCIAL IMPACTS TO BUILDING ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF TOWN BECAUSE WE'RE INCREASING THE COST TO DELIVER MUNICIPAL SERVICES.

DEVELOPING HOUSING IS LIKE AN ICEBERG.

THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG IS WHAT WE SEE ABOVE WATER IS THE COST TO DEVELOP THE LOT.

BUT WE ALL KNOW IT'S WHAT'S UNDER THE WATER THAT'S CONCERNING.

AND FOR HOUSING, THAT'S THE COST OF MAINTAINING, SERVICING AND REPLACING THE COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE.

THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG IS PAID FOR BY THE HOMEOWNER, BUT THE BIG ONGOING COSTS FOR MUNICIPAL SERVICES ARE PAID FOR BY ALL YELLOWKNIVERS.

AND WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT AN EXTRA DOLLAR OR TWO IN TAXES.

RIGHT NOW, GREATS LAKE IS IN THE RED ZONE FOR PROVIDING EMERGENCY SERVICES.

WE CAN'T CURRENTLY GET TO GREATS LAKE WITHIN THE RECOMMENDED TIME FOR FIRE AMBULANCE.

IF WE CONTINUE TO BUILD MORE HOUSES FURTHER OUT THERE, WE'RE INCREASING THE RISK TO RESIDENTS AND WE'LL HAVE TO START LOOKING AT A SECOND FIRE HALL, WHICH IS AN ADDED COST TO BUILD, MAINTAIN ANNUALLY, STAFF, ETC..

THERE'S ALSO THE IMPACT ON CLIMATE CHANGE.

WHEN WE BUILD FURTHER AND FURTHER OUT, WE BECOME LESS AND LESS WALKABLE.

WE'RE ALSO BEHIND THE EIGHT BALL WHEN IT COMES TO HAVING ENOUGH LAND TO BUILD HOUSES ON.

I LIKE SAM GAMBLE'S QUOTE BUILDING A HOUSE CAN TAKE YEARS WHILE A NEW FAMILY CAN BE ADDED TO YELLOWKNIFE BY A TWO HOUR FLIGHT FROM EDMONTON.

TO ADD TO SAM'S QUOTE, PLANNING CAN TAKE YEARS, THE BUILDING CAN TAKE YEARS, AND THEN IT'S READY FOR A FAMILY TO LIVE IN.

APPROVING THE MOTION TODAY DOESN'T MEAN SHOVELS IN THE GROUND TOMORROW.

IT MEANS THE STAFF CAN BEGIN THE PLANNING PROCESS, WHICH INCLUDES PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE? A WHILE IN REGARDS TO NIVEN WHEN I WAS NINE, I WROTE INTO COUNCIL ENCOURAGING THEM TO NOT APPROVE BUILDING HOUSES IN NIVEN LAKE.

AT THE TIME, NIVEN WAS THE LOCAL SKI CLUB.

WHEN THE HOMES WENT IN, THE SKI TRAILS WERE GOING TO BE DEMOLISHED.

IT SEEMED LIKE WE'RE LOSING YELLOWKNIFE CROWN JEWEL, AND WE WERE ALL UPSET WHEN COUNCIL APPROVED IT.

FAST FORWARD 30 YEARS AND WE'RE HERE TODAY.

THE SKI CLUB MOVED TO A NEW LOCATION JUST DOWN THE WAY WITH A BEAUTIFUL SKI CHALET VERSUS THE LITTLE YELLOW [INAUDIBLE] TRAILER THAT WE HAD.

AND NIVEN IS NOW HOME TO OUR FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES.

THEY DIDN'T RUIN YELLOWKNIFE AND THEY ALL HAVE A PLACE TO CALL HOME.

WE DIDN'T ALL UP AND LEAVE YELLOWKNIFE.

WE STAYED AND LIFE WENT ON.

ALTHOUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF NIVEN WAS ACTUALLY MORE DESTRUCTIVE THAN WHAT'S ON THE TABLE TODAY, BECAUSE NOT ONLY DID IT DESTROY OUR SKI CLUB, IT ALSO INVOLVED EXPROPRIATING AND DISPLACING AT LEAST THREE HOMES AND TRAILS AND TO MAKE NIVEN DRIVE.

NIVEN PHASE EIGHT THE PARCEL BEHIND MOYLE IS ONE OF THE FINAL PHASES OF THE NIVEN LAKE SUBDIVISION THAT BEGAN THE PLANNING STAGES IN THE NINETIES.

SO DOES THAT MEAN THAT THE PARCEL OR ANY OF THE OTHER ONES ARE DONE DEALS AND NO FURTHER COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? NO. TONIGHT'S ABOUT DIRECTING STAFF TO START THE PLANNING FOR THE PARCELS.

IT MEANS ENGAGING WITH THE PUBLIC TO GET FEEDBACK ON WHAT TYPE OF HOUSES BUFFERS BETWEEN NATURE AND HOUSES, TRAILS, PARKS AND MORE.

IT'S FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE ALREADY STARTED TO RECEIVE FROM THE PUBLIC OVER THE PAST WEEK.

OF COURSE, WHEN IT COMES TO PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, WE WON'T BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT EVERYTHING THAT PEOPLE WILL BE ASKING.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE'RE NOT LISTENING.

IT'S JUST THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT VIEWS AND FACTORS THAT HAVE TO BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN DEVELOPING HOUSING.

NIVEN IS ONE OF THE LONGER AREAS THAT THE CITY DEVELOPED BY OVER 30 YEARS OF DEVELOPMENT.

BUT IF WE LOOK AT THE MORE RECENT DEVELOPMENTS LIKE SPENCE WAY, IT WAS A PROCESS THAT BEGAN IN 2007 AND WE JUST SOLD OUR LAST LOT LAST WEEK OR GREATS LAKE SOUTH, WHICH BEGAN THE PLANNING PROCESS IN 2014.

AND AGAIN, WE JUST RECENTLY SOLD THE LAST LOT.

FROM THE PLANNING PHASE TO COMPLETION IS AVERAGING TEN YEARS.

ALTHOUGH IT'S NOT ALL RAW AND UNTAPPED NATURE, NIVEN DOES INCLUDE TRAILS, PARKS AND THE NIVEN LAKE RAVINE TRAIL IS STILL GOING AHEAD.

IT'S NOT LOT LINED TO LOT LINE OF HOUSES.

THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS DURING THE AREA DEVELOPMENT PHASE.

WE GET TOGETHER AND DISCUSS STUFF LIKE THAT, WHICH IS WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WITH THESE PARCELS.

[02:20:03]

AS MENTIONED TONIGHT, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THINGS.

BUT AGAIN, I'D LIKE TO FLAG WE'RE LOOKING FOR FEEDBACK ON OUR DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE BYLAW.

SO IF RESIDENTS HAVE SOME IDEAS, PLEASE EMAIL THEM IN.

THE OTHER THINGS, AS I MENTIONED TONIGHT, WAS THE ZONING BYLAW THAT WAS UPDATED IN MARCH 2020, AND A NUMBER OF CHANGES ARE ENCOURAGING DEVELOPMENT.

FOR EXAMPLE, THE OLD ZONING BYLAW WAS A HINDRANCE TO DEVELOPING THE BELOVED BELLANCA BUILDING BECAUSE OF THE PARKING REQUIREMENTS OF THE OLD BYLAW.

NOW THAT WE HAVE OPEN PARKING REQUIREMENTS IN THE DOWNTOWN, THE FACT THAT YOU DON'T NEED ONE PARKING SPACE PER TWO UNITS, WHICH WAS GOING TO REQUIRE SOMEBODY TO BUY THE BELLANCA BUILDING PLUS A PARKING LOT BESIDE IT, THE PROJECT IS BECOMING MORE AND MORE FEASIBLE.

WILL IT HAPPEN? I HOPE. BUT ULTIMATELY THE OWNERS WILL DECIDE.

THE OTHER CARROTS IS ARE TWO PROPERTIES DOWNTOWN AGAIN AVAILABLE FOR SALE BELOW APPRAISED VALUE IF WE PUT IN A PROJECT PROPOSAL.

AND OVER THE YEARS OUR PURCHASE AGREEMENTS HAVE BEEN UPDATED TO HAVE CLAUSES THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO OBTAIN AN APPROVED DEVELOPMENT PERMIT WITHIN 12 MONTHS AND COMPLETE CONSTRUCTION WITHIN 24 MONTHS.

IF THEY DEFAULT ON THOSE, THEN THE LAND IS RETURNED TO THE CITY AND IS PUT BACK ON THE MARKET.

BUT THAT'S ONLY FOR LAND PURCHASE THROUGH THE CITY AND DOESN'T APPLY TO PRIVATE SALES.

AND EVERYBODY'S MENTIONED ABOUT LOOKING TO TAX VACANT LAND.

THAT IS AN OPTION THAT COUNCIL CAN CONSIDER, ALTHOUGH WE CAN'T MAKE IT TOO SPECIFIC AND TARGET ONLY THE DOWNTOWN.

AND IT CAN'T BE A PROPERTY CLASS FOR RUNDOWN OR UNDERUSED PROPERTIES, WHICH IS A LOT OF WHAT PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT.

THERE'S ALSO THE CHALLENGE THAT EVEN IF WE INCREASE THE THE VACANT TAX, WILL IT BE ENOUGH FOR THE BIG GUYS LIKE ESSO AND NORTHVIEW TO MOVE? IT'S TOUGH TO SAY SINCE THEY GET TO COUNT MUNICIPAL PROPERTY TAXES AND EXPENSE, SO IT ACTUALLY DECREASES HOW MUCH REVENUE THAT THEY GET TAXED ON.

AND SO AT THE END OF THE DAY IS A SPECK OF DUST WHAT THEY PAY TO THE CITY AND THEIR FINANCES.

BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN CONSIDER AND WE CAN ADD TO A GPC FOR DISCUSSION OF COUNCIL AND RESIDENTS FEEL THAT'S IMPORTANT.

BUT AS A MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT TO ADDRESS OUR HOUSING CRUNCH, WE CAN'T SIT BACK AND HOPE THAT THE PRIVATE MARKET WILL EITHER SELL THEIR LAND OR INVEST MORE IN THEIR LOTS.

WE CAN PROVIDE INCENTIVES, WE CAN USE STICKS, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S PRIVATE PROPERTY.

AND JUST BECAUSE A FEW VACANT MULTI UNIT LOTS ARE AVAILABLE IN THE DOWNTOWN CORE AND NOT CURRENTLY BEING DEVELOPED DOESN'T MEAN THERE'S NO INTEREST TO DEVELOP IN YELLOWKNIFE.

DEVELOPING A MULTI UNIT LOT REQUIRES MULTI MILLION DOLLARS.

THAT'S NOT CASH OR ACCESS TO CAPITAL THAT THE AVERAGE YELLOWKNIVER HAS.

THE AVERAGE YELLOWKNIVER HAS MONEY TO BUY A LOT AND BUILD A HOUSE FOR THEMSELVES.

BUT THERE'S CURRENTLY NO VACANT LAND TO BUY AND AS SO MANY L AND I FIRST POINTED OUT IN THEIR EMAILS THIS WEEK, WE NEED DIVERSITY IN HOUSING.

NOT EVERYBODY WANTS TO LIVE IN AN APARTMENT.

WE NEED A VARIETY OF LAND FOR A VARIETY OF HOUSING.

ADDRESSING HOUSING AND MAKING YELLOWKNIFE MORE AFFORDABLE TO LIVE IS THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT WE HEAR FROM PEOPLE EVERY ELECTION.

THERE'S NO SILVER BULLET, AND WE'RE WORKING TO TACKLE THE PROBLEM FROM MANY DIFFERENT ANGLES.

TONIGHT'S MOTION IS ONE, BUT WE'LL HAVE TO CONTINUE TO DO MORE OVER OUR TERM.

WITH THAT, I'LL BE SUPPORTING THE MOTION AS PRESENTED.

ANY FURTHER COMMENTS.

SEEING NONE TO THE MOTION.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.

AND THAT CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.

NEXT IS NEW BUSINESS.

THERE WAS NO NEW BUSINESS FOR THE AGENDA.

THERE WAS NO BYLAWS FOR THE AGENDA.

THERE WAS NO DEFERRED BUSINESS AND THERE WAS NO TABLED ITEMS FOR THE AGENDA.

IS THERE ANY DEFERRED BUSINESS OR ARE THERE ANY TABLED ITEMS FROM THE FLOOR? THERE WAS NO OLD BUSINESS FOR THE AGENDA.

IS THERE ANY OLD BUSINESSES FROM IS THERE ANY OLD BUSINESS FROM THE FLOOR? THERE WERE NO NOTICES OF MOTION FOR THE AGENDA.

ARE THERE ANY NOTICES OF MOTION FROM THE FLOOR? THERE WERE NO ADMINISTRATIVE INQUIRIES FOR THE AGENDA.

ARE THERE ANY ADMINISTRATIVE INQUIRIES FROM THE FLOOR? AND WE WRAPPED UP BEFORE THE THREE HOUR MARK.

WITH THAT IF I CAN GET A MOTION TO ADJOURN, MOVE BY DEPUTY MAYOR SMITH, THE SECOND BY COUNCILLOR FEQUET.

ANYBODY OPPOSED SEEING NONE.

WE CAN BE ADJOURNED.

AND TO NOTE WE WILL CALL A SPECIAL GPC AS WE HAVE A FEW ITEMS THAT NEED COUNCIL'S ATTENTION.

SO OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE MONDAY, JANUARY 30TH AT 12:05 P.M..

HAVE A GREAT WEEK, EVERYBODY.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.