Some city councillors are opposed to the municipalitySA国际影视传媒檚 proposal to sell a piece of waterfront property to help a local, growing business comply with municipal zoning requirements after the owner/operator said itSA国际影视传媒檚 not what sheSA国际影视传媒檚 seeking.

Cathy Allooloo wants to buy a piece of commissionerSA国际影视传媒檚 land immediately next to the property where sheSA国际影视传媒檚 lived and done business for the last 30 years.

She operates two home-based businesses there and, after obtaining the written blessing of the Back Bay Community Association, sheSA国际影视传媒檚 asking the City of Yellowknife to allow her to purchase 567 square metres of SA国际影视传媒渘ature preserveSA国际影视传媒� property adjacent to her site.

SA国际影视传媒淭he neighbours are on board,SA国际影视传媒� she told the citySA国际影视传媒檚 Governance and Priorities Committee on Nov. 1.

Allooloo applied to city hall to purchase a piece of commissionerSA国际影视传媒檚 land abutting the northwest border of her property.

When city staff looked into the request, they noted the size and nature of NARWAL Northern Adventures means itSA国际影视传媒檚 in contravention of the citySA国际影视传媒檚 zoning bylaw, noting NARWAL uses structures already sitting on city property. City staff told the committee that the businesses Allooloo operates can no longer be considered accessory in nature, a requirement of her propertySA国际影视传媒檚 current zoning as a personal residence.

To operate a home-based enterprise under her propertySA国际影视传媒檚 current zoning, the only business staff allowed on the property are those who also live there, and NARWAL employs staff who live offsite.

Despite the infractions, city staff say theySA国际影视传媒檙e continuing to work with Allooloo to find a solution.

SA国际影视传媒淭his is the kind of use and transition weSA国际影视传媒檙e looking to be supportive of,SA国际影视传媒� city manager Sheila Bassi-Kellett said.

Allooloo told the committee sheSA国际影视传媒檇 be able to move her mobile canoe trailers off public property if the city would approve the sale of the lot she covets. Taking possession of that lot would also allow her to level it to avoid spring runoff or heavy rains from flooding her homeSA国际影视传媒檚 crawlspace. She noted all of the alternatives offered by city staff were SA国际影视传媒渕ore intrusiveSA国际影视传媒� than her original ask.

The city offered to sell her the waterfront land to expand the businessSA国际影视传媒� parking area, which would pave the way to compliance for the propertySA国际影视传媒檚 current use under the bylaw SA国际影视传媒� so long as the owner/council agree to proceed with re-zoning for Old Town mixed use, as committee chairperson Rebecca Alty suggested.

Coun. Niels Konge said he feared that by selling the waterfront property to Allooloo, the city would be approaching SA国际影视传媒渁 very slippery slope.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淚 hear in this weSA国际影视传媒檙e opening up waterfront property?SA国际影视传媒� he said during the meeting. SA国际影视传媒淗ave we considered the precedent this would set?SA国际影视传媒�

Alty said she wants to work with Allooloo to find an arrangement that would work for the business and city bylaws, but she acknowledged itSA国际影视传媒檚 a difficult task when council is just a week away from its first reading of the updated zoning bylaw.

Allooloo told the committee the dock, installed in the early 1980s, has always been community-accessible and maintained at the expense of her business.

SA国际影视传媒淚t is not used as a private dock,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

Coun. Shauna Morgan asked Allooloo what she planned to do if council denied her re-zoning request.

SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檒l probably continue to operate here the same as we have over the last 30 years, SA国际影视传媒� Allooloo said. SA国际影视传媒淚f this land is made available my footprint will be reduced.SA国际影视传媒�