The city master plan for McIntyre Creek Plan D is seemingly out of touch with the people living in Porter Creek, other subdivisions and ratepayer groups.
The consultant’s “wildlife corridor” study was done during an off-season for migration of birds and larger animals.
It took no consideration of watershed or subwatershed protection. It also lacks significant sensitive natural resources and environmental issues, lacks new development that respects ecosystem integrity, and is a future land hazard designation. The wildlife corridor study seemingly gave little thought to the city’s future expansion of subdivisions that could eliminate any open wildlife migration.
What seemingly is missed is the subwatershed issue, being ravines that run off from the creek itself.
These ravines are, in themselves, subwatersheds. Although dry throughout the summer, in winter and especially spring they are drainage areas.
Plan D will place homes relatively close to the subwatersheds and, therefore, carry contaminates like fertilizers from lawns and roads directly down into the creek.
Manmade changes to natural vegetation and natural processes in watersheds and subwatersheds will result in detrimental changes to stream and river conditions.
These changes are due to runoff, temperature, habitat, chemical and base flow characteristics, which adversely affect hydrologic cycle and natural aquatic communities such as McIntyre Creek.
As to the bridge, it is an environmental disaster to the creek for the reasons noted in subwatersheds.
Plan D is certainly in touch with new development à new, pricey homes on the edge of McIntyre Creek will provide profits in sales, but is out of touch with the taxpayers of the city.
Sustainable development requires that adverse impacts on natural systems, such as air, land and water, be prevented or minimized to ensure an aquatic ecosystem’s overall integrity.
In the opinion of this writer, Whitehorse’s Plan D is greatly lacking.
We have the chance of making McIntyre Creek into a beautiful park and educational centre for future generations.
It is hoped that at least the elected council members, along with Mayor Bev Buckway, will understand this and place the planning board’s predetermined plan immediately on hold.
One way or the other, the public’s voice will be heard.
Murray J. Martin
Whitehorse