By Ian Cobb/e-KNOW

Enough of a stink was raised about a proposed commercial composting facility in the Mayook area that the Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) board of directors this morning voted against it proceeding.

After directors addressed concerns, the board voted to not proceed with third reading of Bylaw No. 2672 – an amendment of the Steeples Official Community Plan (OCP) to allow industrial land uses, which would enable Earthrite Industries to establish a commercial composting facility.

Opposition to the bylaw proceeding was led by Board Chair and Electoral Area C Director Rob Gay, who read a prepared statement urging fellow directors to vote against it.

“I’ve given this proposal considerable thought and hours of research,” Gay said, admitting he believes there is a need for commercial composting.

However, his chief concern as a director is to improve the life of his citizens, he said.

“One of our primary roles is land use planning,” Gay said, making decisions about how land is used and developed, with OCPs guiding documents.

The OCP covering the Mayook area (Steeples) was adopted in November 2016. “In that planning no areas of industrial land uses were identified during the two-year planning process. This plan is very clear in its policies regarding light industrial use,” he said, quoting it: “New industrial land uses may be supported provided the proposal does not negatively impact the neighbouring properties. Applications for light industrial use will be considered on an individual basis in relation to the following: proximity of the development to existing development nodes (in this case Wardner, Mayook, Fort Steele and Bull River area); the compatibility of the development proposal with the surrounding land uses; water and servicing options; road access with potential impact to road infrastructure.”

Gay also noted he heard a lot during a lively public hearing, held Feb. 22, with more than 100 in attendance, that traffic safety is an issue on that busy stretch of Highway 3/93. He presented the board with some traffic data, citing traffic numbers (7,300 a day in the summer past the entrance to the proposed facility) – “one vehicle every 10 seconds in the summer” and he agrees with the concerns expressed.

The area director concluded he is voting against the rezoning because it is not consistent with the policy in the “brand new” OCP. “Industrial land is not compatible with the adjacent rural residents’ lifestyle. The more local community, the rural neighbourhood, is adamantly opposed to re-zoning to light industrial.”

City of Cranbrook councillor and alternative RDEK board director Wes Graham agreed with Gay.

“The OCP was ratified, as you say just over a year ago and it’s a plan that we need to adhere to. Just as it is in its infancy and to make changes says to residents why bother going through all the process to build an OCP when it is going to get amended right out of the gate. I understand if it is an OCP that has been around seven or eight years and you’re going to be amending it and changing it but being that it is a fresh document I think it is something we need to weigh in our decision on this and that is why I am opposed,” said Graham, attending the meeting in place of Mayor Lee Pratt.

District of Invermere Mayor and board member Gerry Taft argued in favour of the proposed facility, noting the length of time the proponent has been working on his application.

“We’ve made the applicant jump through a lot of hoops and we’ve dragged this process out a really long time and if the desire of this board and the intent philosophically was there shouldn’t be industrial land we should have said no from the very beginning. We could have said no at first reading and not even brought it to a public hearing. I understand some of the concerns of the neighbours but I honestly think what is already allowed on the site for potential gravel and hobby sawmills and some of these accessory uses that are allowed have just as much potential for nuisance as any of the proposed uses in the light industrial zone,” he said, adding the board should be encouraging composting, not discouraging it.

Electoral Area F Director Wendy Booth said she agreed the applicant has “jumped through a number of hoops to get to this point” but her research has shown her the “only way to mitigate concerns” from neighbours about smell is to have a facility built indoors.

“From a price tag perspective I don’t think it is reasonable for this type of facility – to force them into a business model that is not reasonable for our market,” Booth said, adding she also supports Gay’s position on the OCP and traffic concerns and cannot support the rezoning moving forward.

Electoral Area B Director Stan Doehle said he is currently going through an OCP process in his area and knows what the Steeple OCP area residents went through.

“Our job is to listen to the residents. The residents out there spoke loud and clear and they don’t want that in their back yard. It is something we have to respect. We tell the people that is why we have an OCP and I think as a board we have to respect that,” he said.

City of Kimberley Mayor and board director Don McCormick said it is wrong the applicant has had to go through the amount of time and expense as he has “only to find out that we’ve had our minds made up pretty much from the beginning anyway. I just think that we have been completely unfair in the process.”

Taft also suggested the argument about traffic is “a catch-22” in that if the proposed facility is off a highway it causes traffic flow problems and if off a side road, it is bringing more traffic into an area.

Electoral Area E Director Jane Walter said she opposes the rezoning and suggested the applicant should have checked with neighbours before moving ahead with any plans.

Electoral Area G Director Gerry Wilkie said he is concerned about the location of the proposed facility, in respect to the local residents and is not “convinced the applicant has presented a solid business case.”

Taft, McCormick, Electoral Area A alternate director Dan Savage and District of Sparwood Mayor and board director Cal McDougall voted in support of the rezoning.

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