Two housing developments within the vicinity of the downtown core have reached the City of Yellowknife's development appeal board in recent weeks, and their fate will have implications for council's housing plans.
The development appeal board – a quasi-judicial tribunal at arm's-length from city council – renders decisions on development applications.
The West Bay Condo development by Mike and Milan Mrdjenovich of Nova Builders Inc., located at the School Draw Avenue lot adjacent to Tin Can Hill, was directed by the board to adjust its proposed project and reduce its unit development from its proposed 24 multi-family dwelling units to 21.
Mayor Rebecca Alty said council doesn't weigh in on decisions made by the appeal board, and it will be up to the developers if they want to proceed with planned construction.
"The development permit was approved for 24 units, and the maximum on the sites, the development appeal board concluded, was 21. So they dropped it down to 21, and whether the contractor, or the developer goes ahead with the 21, we'll see," Alty said.
Bartam Trailer Park development
The condo-development in progress at the former Bartam Trailer Park site on School Draw Avenue, also being developed by Nova Builders Inc., faced continued resistance this month as neighbours took the case to the development appeal board.
A 10-hour hearing was held on Oct. 3, however a decision has yet to be announced. The board has 60 days from the hearing to reach a decision. Among the concerned expressed were that the building is "dissimilar in character" to Old Town, it's too large, it will house too many tenants, and there will be increased traffic and noise.
Last May, council approved the development of a 65-unit multi-family dwelling at the site by Nova Builders Inc.
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"I think because it is in front of the appeal board, we will wait for their decision," Alty said.
Two of the individuals involved in the appeal – Dave Jones and David Gilday – told NNSL Media that they would wait for the decisions as well.
However, Gilday said that he was glad to see the West Bay Condo project reduced to 21 units.
Yellowknife Community Plan
Alty said both housing projects – two of the few taking place in the city at the moment – follow the city's plan of trying to meet multiple aims at once. The municipality wants to cut costs by having development on infrastructure already in use while also meeting climate commitments and increasing property taxes.
"When we approved our community plan, our focus has been from a climate change perspective, a financially responsible perspective and we wanted to try to increase the density in areas," Alty said. "It means that we are building on infrastructure that already exists: roads we are already maintaining, areas that already have buses going through it.
"It costs less to run the city when we build wherever there is infrastructure."
As far as climate change, Alty said this was a goal too because when development covers property that is already being managed by the city, it means less urban sprawl and, as a result, less travel distance for commuters.
"Every election, everyone wants to focus on the cost of living and by increasing density and building where we already have infrastructure, that is one way to keep the cost of living in check," the mayor said.