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City contemplates more homes in Whistle Bend

Close to 26 acres of land could be rezoned for development
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Construction in Whistle Bend in 2017. Plans have been announced to continue with more phases of Whistle Bend development. (Yukon News file)

Another 25.8 hectares of land in the Whistle Bend area could be rezoned for development.

The proposed rezoning was brought forward to Whitehorse city council at its Sept. 21 meeting with members set to vote on first reading Sept. 26.

The sites would comprise Phases 10 and 11 of the neighbourhood with Phase 10 being a 15.76-hectare site and Phase 11 making up the remaining 10-plus hectares.

The site for both is at the west end of Whistle Bend next to Phases 8 and 9.

“Phases 10 and 11 are proposed to be well connected to the rest of the Whistle Bend neighbourhood through trails and active transportation routes and therefore are planned at a low-to-medium density,” city planner Mathieu Marois stated in a report to council.

He went on to describe Phase 10 as including a mix of housing types with potentially 117 lots for single family or duplex homes and 10 multi-family lots. Also planned for Phase 10 are a greenbelt, a parks and recreation lot and a public service lot.

Meanwhile, Phase 11 is anticipated to feature 93 single family lots and four multi-family lots.

The proposed rezoning would establish the variety of zones for the neighbourhood including single family, multiple family, cottage cluster homes, greenbelt, parks and recreation and public service.

“The actual development potential will be confirmed through the detailed engineering and the subsequent subdivision of the area,” Marois said. “Infrastructure upgrades to address future transportation impacts will be determined through the transportation master plan process scheduled to be completed in summer 2023.”

A number of councillors were focussed on the impacts continued development is having on traffic along Mountain View Drive with Coun. Dan Boyd pointing out the original plan for Whistle Bend had more accesses and egresses in and out of the neighbourhood. He also pointed out the new transportation plan isn’t anticipated to be finished until next year and highlighted concerns about further build out of the neighbourhood until the plan is done.

“We’re building without a plan to move people [in and out of the neighbourhood],” he said.

Councillors Ted Laking and Kirk Cameron echoed similar concerns, with Cameron questioning the impacts of holding off on the zoning until after the transportation plan is finished. As director of development services Mike Gau noted, that could result in a significant delay in lots being released. He pointed out that there are still a number of steps following zoning before the lots are released including subdivision, the development agreements and finally development of the area.

Along with traffic, Coun. Ted Laking also highlighted concerns over the loss of a snow dump area once Phases 10 and 11 are developed.

Director of operations Tracy Allen noted the city is working with the Yukon government to identify alternative sites for snow dumping.

If council approves first reading of the rezoning on Sept. 26, a public hearing will be held Oct. 24. Following that, a report on the hearing will come forward on Nov. 21 before second and third reading on Nov. 28.

Contact Stephanie Waddell at stephanie.waddell@yukon-news.com



Stephanie Waddell

About the Author: Stephanie Waddell

I joined Black Press in 2019 as a reporter for the Yukon News, becoming editor in February 2023.
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