YK residents advocate to protect Burwash Hill from development

“What’s next? Estates at Parker Park, condos on Pilots’ Monument, a tower at Somba K’e Civic Plaza?”

Toby Kruger is among several residents who oppose the City of Yellowknife’s plans to rezone part of Burwash Hill from “natural area” to “residential central one” and subdivide the land to allow for housing development.

He spoke about the proposal at a public hearing at City Hall on Wednesday, echoing comments he previously wrote in letters to the city.

Kruger, who is a lawyer but spoke as a private citizen, said in his view the city’s proposal does not meet legal requirements.

The land is currently designated as a public park, he said, and protected from development. Changing that would require amending Yellowknife’s parks bylaw in addition to its zoning bylaw, he argued, something the city has not pursued.

“Approving this development signals that protections don’t matter and that rules can be sacrificed when the pressure is high enough and when the going gets rough,” he said.

“That’s not what we teach in school and that’s not what Yellowknife stands for in my experience.”

Kruger raised further issue that rezoning the area to residential central one could change the character of the neighbourhood. He added the city has not conducted a traffic study on the proposal, pointing out the land is across the street from the Yellowknife Playschool Association.

The city disagrees that its proposal is not legally sound.

Charlsey White, Yellowknife’s director of planning and development, said the two parcels of land the city wants to develop were previously designated for infill, a decision that she said went through a public consultation process and was approved by a prior council and the territorial government.

She added the city plans to continue preserving some of Burwash Hill as a natural area, including an informal path across the land.

‘Absurd and unacceptable’

Nearly a dozen more residents spoke at the public hearing in opposition to the city’s proposal, ranging from Kruger’s young son Milo to Yellowknife Centre MLA Robert Hawkins.

Some people in the audience had signs on paper reading “preserve our green space.” (Councillors approved a new rule in January that in theory bans members of the public from displaying signs at council and committee meetings.)

Residents who spoke voiced concerns about a lack of parking, increased traffic, emergency vehicle access, pressure on water and sewer infrastructure, impacts on drainage, loss of green space, risks of blasting close to homes, and housing density.

Dan Adlam said he was against the development of two blocks of land near the corner of Con Road and 55 Street as blasting could negatively affect the foundations and structural integrity of nearby homes.

“It is absurd and unacceptable of the city to put us homeowners in this position,” he said.

Adlam said he disapproves of losing valued green space that is “an extension of everyone’s backyard.” He pointed out the area was recommended for protection in a 2010 Yellowknife natural area preservation strategy.

Alicia Adlam said there is a connection between neighbourhoods with natural areas and better mental health outcomes, adding such areas can serve as natural climate controls to reduce heat.

“Development on Burwash Hill will diminish quality of life, public trust and good will,” she said.

Some people that spoke at the hearing said they were not entirely against development of Burwash Hill but did not approve of the city’s current proposal due to issues such as the density and mix of housing as well as blasting near existing homes.

Responding to concerns about housing density, councillor Garett Cochrane said the city is working to address the need for missing middle housing – a term referring to medium-density housing such as duplexes and townhomes – to give people that can’t afford to buy a single-family home the opportunity to become homeowners.

He suggested many residents who have opposed development of Burwash Hill have owned homes for several years, and other families deserve the same chance.

Councillor Cat McGurk added that development of multi-family dwellings is encouraged as low-density housing comes with a higher cost to taxpayers.

Housing crisis and lack of land

At a previous meeting, city councillors expressed general support for rezoning part of Burwash Hill, saying they believe the proposal balances needed housing development with the preservation of some green space.

On Wednesday, several councillors stressed that Yellowknife is facing a “catastrophic” housing crisis and a lack of land within municipal control to develop.

With the Burwash Hill proposal, they said, city council is once again in the unenviable position of needing to address those issues but potentially upsetting some residents if they approve development in their neighbourhood.

“This is my 11th year on council and every development that we’ve tried to bring forward, we’ve had the same complaints, arguments against developments,” Steve Payne said.

Payne said every piece of land in the city is near someone’s home and important to them. As a councillor, he said, he tries to make decisions that are the best for the city as a whole, adding “there’s always going to be somebody getting the poopy end of the stick.”

Similarly, Tom McLennan said he believes the city will face opposition to every area it tries to develop “with neighbours who have immediate use of the land not wanting change.”

Some councillors asked residents what they would propose as an alternative to developing the Burwash subdivision. Mayor Ben Hendriksen questioned what they would say to “residents who are looking for housing that are in a housing market where the vacancy rate is less than one percent.”

Kruger said Burwash Hill is distinct from other areas because it is designated as a park.

Several residents said they believe there are other areas the city should prioritize developing, including vacant lots downtown, and called on the territorial government to hurry up with the transfer of land to the city, which has been a longstanding issue.

Addressing questions from residents about why the city is not developing other land first, Hendriksen explained that areas not currently served by water and sewer infrastructure are more expensive and will take more time to develop. He said the municipality hopes promised federal investment will help.

Some lots that have access to existing city services are privately owned, Hendriksen said, so the municipality is unable to sell the land for development.

He pointed out the municipality is currently working on bylaws related to vacant land and unoccupied or abandoned buildings to encourage property owners to sell or develop those lots.