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PoliticsMunicipal13TuesdayNovember192013ByJACKDANYLCHUKAproposedtransferof390hectaresofCommission-ersLandscouldinstantlytransformYellowknifefromamongtheleasttothelargestsingleownerofwaterfrontpropertywithinthecitysboundaries.Iftheterritorialgovern-mentagreesafterdevolutionisofcialnextAprilYel-lowknifecouldgaincontrolofover76landparcelsscat-teredacrossthecityamongthemkeystretchesofshore-lineonLathamIslandMc-MeekanChanneltheWillowFlatsbirdsanctuaryandtheWoodyard.AndifMunicipalAborigi-nalandCommunityAffairsapprovesaseparateapplica-tionthecitycouldbecomeoneofthefewmunicipali-tiesinCanadawithjuris-dictionoverlakebedwithinitsboundarieswhichwouldallowittomanagehouseboatanchorages.Thecityalsostandstoin-herittheresultsofalong-establishedcustomofig-noringsquattersinclud-inguplandpropertyown-erswhousetheBackBayshoreofLathamIslandforprivatedocksandmorere-centinvadersinMcMeekanChannel.Whateverhappensex-tensivepublicconsultationwouldtakeplaceMayorMarkHeycktoldTheJour-nalinanemailandwouldunfoldoverthenextonetoveyearsdependingonthewillofcouncil.Inthemeantimetherearenoplanstosellorgetintolong-termleasesfortheBackBaylandsonLathamIslandbutcouncilcouldaskadmin-istrationtoexploretheleaseorsaletoadjacentpropertyownershesaid.CitypoisedtobecomedominantwaterfrontownerProposedchangeinownershipcastsnewgazeonlong-ignoredsquattersPastlandapplicationsproducedmixedresultsforthecityitreceived596hectaresoutofanapplica-tionfor1300in2005andin2007itgot72hectaresfromanotherrequestfor1300whichHeycksaidmadelong-termplanningratherchallenging.ThatdidntstopthecityfrompreparingtheSmartGrowthDevelopmentPlanin2010theGeneralPlanBy-lawin2011andtheHar-bourPlanin2012.Allofthemidentiedpotentialgrowthareasincludingthewaterfrontnaturalareasandlandsadjacenttobuilt-upareaaccordingtoare-portpreparedinOctoberbycityadministrators.YellowknifesSmartGrowthDevelopmentPlanproposesamakeoverforOldTownthatwouldtransformthecityshistoricwaterfrontfromasleepybackwatertoabustlingyear-roundcentrefortourismtransportationandtheartsandtheHar-bourPlanreleasedlastyearaddeddetail.ThelandsalongtheMc-MeekanCausewayareen-visionedundertheHarbourPlantoincludeaboardwalkaccessandmooringfacili-tiesHeycksaidandnotedthatsaleofthenarrowstripsofshorelinewouldnotberecommended.Itsalittleprematuretosaywhatthetermsofmoor-ingorleasingofthisspacewouldbehesaid.TheWoodyardscollec-tionofshacksandvintagevehiclessquatonCommis-sionersLandattheedgeoftheWillowFlatsbirdsanctuarywhereMACAiscurrentlytryingtoevictthelastofthreehouseboatsthatmovedinlastsummer.RatherthanchaseoutsquattersandrazetheshackstheHarbourPlanproposesndingwaystolegitimizetheWoodyardandexploreheritagepreservationoppor-tunitiesHeycksaid.IftheCityacquiredtheselandswecouldestablishleaseswhilestillallowingpublicaccesstothewater-frontinthisarea.Thiswouldallowustocollecttaxeswemaybeforsomebuildingscurrentlybutwouldalsoproviderevenuepotential.Butmostofthelandcov-eredintheapplicationisforexpansionofthelandllandnewresidentialgrowthontheformerConMinesitewhichisduetobereturnedtotheterritorialgovernmentwhenremediationiscom-pletednextyearTinCanHillandawedgebetweenGraceandKamLakesonthecityssouthernboundary.WereinapositionnowwhereNivenLakephasesevenisquicklyllingupandphaseeightwhichwasthenextdevelopmentareacarrieshighdevelopmentcostsbecauseofthetopog-raphysowedliketopro-videarangeofhousingindifferentpartsofthecityHeycksaid.WereinapositionnowwhereNivenLakephasesevenisquicklyllingupandphaseeightwhichwasthenextdevelopmentareacarrieshighdevelopmentcostsbecauseofthetopographysowedliketoprovidearangeofhousingindifferentpartsofthecity.YellowknifeMayorMarkHeyckPhotosJackDanylchukWALLYSDRUGSFRIDAYNOVEMBER29LATENIGHTSHOPPINGMAJORTOYSALEOPEN7001000p.m.GuardianLOTSOFTOYSANDGAMESONSALETheCityofYellowknifeisseekingownershipoftheWillowFlatsbirdsanctuarywhichalsoservesasabeachforWood-yardandhouseboatresidents.ThecityisapplyingforownershipofthiscornerofMcAvoyRockanditssculpturegardencreatedbyArmandVail-lancourt.