Private developer urged for Porter Creek D

Development of Porter Creek D could be finished quickly if it was contracted out to a private developer, says a Whitehorse city councillor.

Development of Porter Creek D could be finished quickly if it was contracted out to a private developer, says a Whitehorse city councillor.

Coun. Doug Graham voted with the rest of council Monday evening to adopt the pre-design concept for the subdivision in Takhini North.

However, he argued it and other upcoming developments don’t allow for enough single-family lots.

That should change as the city moves ahead with plans for Porter Creek D, but hiring a private developer for the work would cut the work time in half, bringing single-family lots on line faster, he said.

“I’m still very concerned about the number of multi-family areas or lots that we’re putting in this development as we are in the Stan McCowan development and the Arkell development,“ he told the rest of council during its regular meeting.

“My opinion is these aren’t going to sell as quickly as the single-family or even the duplexes; that we don’t have the builders or developers in the town necessary to develop this amount of multi-family housing over the next two or three years,“ he argued.

The Porter Creek D development would involve the extension of Pine Street, where it’s now gated off, with lots going in in the Yukon College/Mountainview Drive area.

Rather than changing plans for Takhini North, Graham suggested, the city needs to start looking at what’s set for Porter Creek D and contract out a private developer for the work.

There would still need to be some considerations by the city, such as the potential extension of Pine Street and access to the Alaska Highway, before the more detailed plans could be contracted out, the councillor noted.

He already knows of about 10 people who would “dearly love” to build a new home, but there aren’t any lots with the exception of country residential parcels available.

“I’m not sure how much longer they’re going to be available,“ he said.

It would mark the first time a private developer would be hired to do a city development.

“It’s new, but we have to do something,“ he said in an interview following last night’s meeting, noting that hiring a private developer could cut the time in half.

“They don’t have the tendering processes that we have,“ Graham said.

“They’re either going to be in the business of doing it themselves or have somebody else on staff - an associate - who can do it.“

A private developer would likely have done such projects many times, would know the processes involved and have the time to devote to it, he said.

As Coun. Jan Stick noted though, even if the city moves ahead with Porter Creek D, it would be another year before private lots would be available.

Stick was also quick to point out that though the subdivision concept was being approved, there were still opportunities for residents of the neighbourhood to have input into the more detailed plans that will include pathway, trees and other features of the new subdivision to be considered.

The plan would see the development done in two phases, with a total of 211 duplex, multi-residential and single-family properties.

The first phase, which would see up to 156 lots, is scheduled to be done next year with the second phase set to be done in 2010.

Council has heard numerous residents speak out against the development plans with a 122-signature petition presented that calls on the city to save the woods next to the school from condominium development.

At last night’s meeting, the city also heard from Riley Olsen, who displayed 109 signatures from other students, teachers and others at Takhini Elementary School and sang a song she and her friends wrote about the importance of trees.

Following her call for the city to save the trees in the area, resident Ludovic Gouaillier noted his concerns that residents like himself and his family on Ortona Avenue would be boxed in by the new plans with surrounding properties that will be developed.

Gouaillier had taken part in the consultation process when plans were first being developed and in previous versions of the plan, there continued to be green space in place.

Gouaillier said he understands the need for lots and that planners have done a lot of good work on the pre-design concept.

However, listening to his own concerns and suggestions in some cases, he also said he felt compelled to bring up the issue directly with council and suggest that two lots proposed for development in the area be left alone.

Though it could mean a revenue shortfall for the city, Gouaillier noted, it would be a benefit for the residents of the area.

In the grand scheme, he suggested, the cost would not be significant.

It was after Gouaillier’s presentation that Stick pointed out plans aren’t yet written “in stone”, and that there’s still room for movement in the plans.