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MERRITT HERALD FREE
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2013 • MERRITT NEWSPAPERS
Rezoning for asphalt plant delayed Land use amendment tabled amid air quality concerns By Emily Wessel THE HERALD
newsroom@merrittherald.com
City council tabled the third reading of a bylaw that would rezone a parcel of land in the city’s southeast to make way for an asphalt plant after a public hearing on Tuesday night. The land in question is two hectares at the corner of Midday Valley Road and Houston Street, adjacent to Tolko and the proposed Green Energy Project site. It is currently zoned for future development, but a proposal from Penticton-based construction company Peter’s Bros. to build an asphalt plant there would require it to be rezoned to heavy industrial. Peter’s Bros. currently operates an asphalt plant on Mamit Lake Road, about a 10-minute drive out of town. The overriding concern at the public hearing was a negative impact on air quality if the plant gets the green light. Coun. Mike Goetz made the motion to defer a third reading of the rezoning until council can hear more input from the public and the process for approving the amendment is clarified. “I have an issue with air quality as well. I live within sight. I have worked out at Shulus very close to the site that they have, and I was out there for four years. I have seen what comes of it. With this information, I’m not prepared to pass the third reading,” he said. Along with Goetz, councillors Kurt Christopherson and Dave Baker expressed concern that the public would lose opportunities to provide input once the land use amendment passes its third read-
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Air Quality Committee member Richie Gage makes a presentation to city council at the public hearing regarding the proposed rezoning of land located at the southeast corner of Midday Valley Road and Houston Street. The prospective purchasers want it zoned for heavy industrial use, which would be for an asphalt plant and aggregate storage. Michael Potestio/Herald
ing. “It sounded to me, when the people were talking tonight, that the people would like to have more information. I’m reticent to support the third reading if that information is not going to be easily accessible,” Christopherson said. “I do welcome Peter’s Bros., I think they have a good reputation and Merritt certainly needs to have a good industrial base, but I’m not willing to trade in good air quality without some assurances. Most of Merritt is downwind from that area.” A petition against the zoning amendment with 38 signatures was also passed to council at the hearing. Local resident Lloyd Charney said he is leery about the proposed plant being in town. “I think it’s just too close to Merritt,” he said. “It’s one of the dirtiest industries that you can get. We’re dealing with very raw mate-
munity members that it was a priority for them. “Merritt is in a narrow valley. The wind comes from the southwest and blows over town. Everyone has experienced highway paving with the stench and toxic fumes I find very nauseating, and I don’t want that where I live,” Prowal said. Peter’s Bros. general manager Joe Cuzzocrea said the company uses waste oil and/or propane to power its four asphalt plants in Kelowna, Penticton, Williams Lake and just outside of Merritt, and uses a filtration system to lessen the odour at its Kelowna plant. Cuzzocrea said the plant meets provincial air quality permit standards and could go ahead any time. The plant would create three or four local jobs if it goes ahead and would operate between April and October, he said. The land across Houston
rials, a lot of dust, and we’re dealing with things that are leftover. The air pollution is something that, in Merritt, is quite a concern for people. This is not a clean industry.” Air Quality Committee member Richie Gage said there is little in the way of provincial air quality standards for asphalt plants, and burning waste oil will emit particulates that can be breathed in. “It will produce chemical emissions in the form of hydrocarbons. Some of those hydrocarbons will result in a noxious odour,” Gage said. “A major concern is the location of this property is aligned with the prevailing southwest winds. It will result in moving the emissions across our community.” Local resident Ginny Prowal said she has concerns about the plant’s impact on air quality but hoped the Peter’s Bros. delegates could reassure her and other com-
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Street from the proposed area is currently zoned for heavy industrial but the company requires more space for aggregate storage, meeting attendees learned. The plant would have to get a green light from council on its wildfire and geotechnical development permits before the rezoning could be approved. “Through that development permit process, there are conditions that have to be met. If those conditions aren’t met, it doesn’t go any further. If the conditions are met, it comes back to council for adoption,” Merritt Mayor Susan Roline said. There are currently 132 hectares of heavy industrial lands in Merritt that make up about 23 per cent of the city’s commercial and industrial lands. About 40 people sat in the gallery for the public hearing in city council chambers before the regular council meeting.
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