Court suspends plans for housing development at Takhini Hot Springs

A Yukon Supreme Court judge has suspended a government-approved development plan for the Takhini Hot Springs area outside of Whitehorse, saying the neighbours weren't properly consulted.

Takhini Hot Pools owner Garry Umbrichand his partners have spent thepast decade making plans for a housing development onthe 99-hectare property that surrounds the hot springs.

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They signed a development agreement with the government, but the neighbours say the government failed to talk to them first, and they sued.

The neighboursworry about a plan for a "clustered housing development" on the property, such as condos. They argued that would change the tenor of a ruralresidential neighbourhood.

"If any one of us owned a business, we would want to see it prosper. However, this is looking more like a land development than it is for hot springs development," said Brian Farrell, president of the neighbourhood residents association.

Justice Miriam Maisonvilleagreed that the government failed to consult the neighbours before approving the plan, and she put a stop to any development until that's done.

'Clarity in the process'

Umbrich says he understands the ruling, saying the government clearly missed a step along the way.

"It's not a reflection on Takhini Hot Springs because we're not party to that lawsuit, we're sort of the third party that's affected by it all," he said.

"So I think this judgement puts some clarity in the process."

He says the consultations will slow down his development plans, but he hopestowin hisneighbours over in the end.

"If we don't put those residences down there where we plan to put them, next to our neighbours, then we would be looking at some type of commercial development down there and I think that would be even less compatible for the neighbourhood," he said.

There's no word from the Yukon government on how soon the consultations will happen. Land Planning Director Jerome McIntyresaidneighbours would be consulted as part of the process after the developers make application for the required zoning change.

The dispute is only over the proposed housing development, and not Umbrich's other plans to develop the actual hot springs complex.

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