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| Thursday, April 10, 2014
Cancer claims Zoo’s rare Lynx
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Page 3: Blooms aplenty at Bradner Flower Show
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Back on Aldergrove’s Field of Dreams
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Aldergrove’s youth baseball teams lined up for the official opening ceremonies of Aldergrove baseball’s new season, Saturday, April 5 at Aldergrove Athletic Park. See page 11.
Soil dumping restrictions ‘don’t go far enough’ By DAN FERGUSON Aldergrove Star
New rules to control landfills in Langley Township have been approved by council despite a lessthan-enthusiastic assessment by a community activist who lobbied for a stricter alternative. Under the newly amended bylaw and related policy, large soil deposit and removal applications must go through a petition process that allows owners of properties near a fill site to express support or opposition. Offenders face a fine and possible prison time, up to a maximum of $10,000 or three months in jail, or both. The policy and bylaw were put together with input from concerned residents, developers and law firm Bull Housser and Tupper. Before councillors voted to give final approval to the proposed regulations on March 3, they heard from Kevin Mitchell, speaking for a citizens’ group which he said spent “literally hundreds of hours” reviewing
the issue. Mitchell said the new regulations are “seriously flawed,” only “marginally stronger” with “minimal penalties” for people who dump fill without a permit. Among his objections, Mitchell said the new regulations don’t require people applying for a dumping permit to provide a technical justification when they apply, something he called a “blatant omission.” Mitchell said the township should use a waste transfer station to dispose of fill from construction sites and other excavations to fix what he described as a legacy of “poorly run fill sites” in Langley. Councillors Kim Richter and David Davis thought the Mitchell idea deserved study, but they couldn’t convince the rest of council to delay the vote until Township staff had a chance to review the notion. It was the last appearance before Township council by Mitchell, who said he is preparing to relocate from Langley to the Shuswap.
DAN FERGUSON PHOTO
A new soil deposit bylaw is “seriously flawed” Kevin Mitchell told council on March 3. Known for his involvement in a campaign to limit the use of propane cannon noisemakers by local berry farms, Mitchell ran as an indepen-
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dent against incumbent Liberal MLA Rich Coleman in the 2013 provincial election, where the challenger finished last in a field of five. In an interview at the time, Mitchell said that while the cannon issue “was the impetus” behind his decision to run as an independent, his concerns also included dumping of landfill material and better management of development. In a written press release issued following the council vote approving the new landfill rules, township soil enforcement officer Paul Albrecht said the revised bylaw “strikes a balance between giving residents input into proposals that may impact the neighborhood and the broader community, while still providing an opportunity for a land owner to initiate a proposal that may improve their property.” The new regulations cover nonfarm use soil deposit and removal applications. Fill proposals for land on protected farmland within the Agricultural
Land Reserve (ALR) in Langley will still require approval of the provincial Agricultural Land Commission (ALC). “It is important that residents who wish to deposit on or remove soil from their property attain a permit from the Township,” Albrecht said. “We strongly encourage residents to contact the Township for information related to the Bylaw and policy prior to initiating such work.” Over a three-year-period, more than 100 applications were made for fill sites in Langley. Many residents have complained about illegal dumping, where ponds have been filled in and setback requirements haven’t been respected. Albrecht said residents who suspect illegal dumping or excavating should call the township Soil Hotline at 604-532-7349 or the operations centre at 604-532-7300. For more information about soil deposit and removal within the township, visit tol.ca/soils. - with files from Black Press
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