The conversation continues among members of city council and administration as public concerns surrounding the zoning bylaw were discussed in the latest Governance and Priorities Committee (GPC) meeting.
“Doesn’t sound like we’re ready to go to second reading just yet,” said Mayor Rebecca Alty, following the comment and question period on Feb. 14.
City council discussed concerns that residents raised during the statutory public hearing on Nov. 27 — 29 written and 13 oral submissions were submitted at that time.
Although there are seven proposed changes, urban agriculture, downtown zoning, and worker accommodations are the three items that will be examined most closely before final decisions are made.
City discussions on urban commercial agriculture have acknowledged public opposition to livestock such as pigs.
In regards to downtown zoning, six multi-family dwellings in the area of 52 Avenue are poised to be transferred over from central residential to downtown. This would allow for first floor commercial use and affect parking, among other issues.
Discussions around worker accommodations were based on a resident lobbying for workers to be permitted to stay in camps in zones beyond Kam Lake, which is currently designated for camps. Councillors and city administration discussed the limits of these relocatable units in sub-Arctic conditions, as well as the limit of up to eight workers staying in one camp, rather than 15 to 20.
“We’ll bring it back to GPC and then we’ll be able to decide, yes, we want to make a change to the bylaw this way, or no. Then it’ll come to council and we’ll vote on it then,” Alty told Yellowknifer. “It sounds like council’s in support of most of them, just needing further information.”
A date for the re-tabling of items has not yet been determined.