Brackendale residents bothered by a nearby noisy wood waste facility won a brief reprieve when council for the District of Squamish was unable to reach a decision on a staff-recommended temporary use permit for the contentious facility. The item will instead return to city hall during a March 6 council meeting.
Triack Ltd. is already three years into a five years lease agreement for use of the site and has applied for a temporary two-year permit with an option for a two-year renewal.
Despite the seemingly industrial nature of the site's location - nine-acres near Government Rd. and Depot Rd. bordered by two gravel pits, a BC Hydro station and the airport - the operation has already been a significant disturbance to neighbours 500 metres away, according to Rachel Shephard, who spoke during a public hearing on the matter at the Tuesday (Feb. 20) council meeting.
Shephard said that the noise from the grinding and crushing of cement, asphalt and wood waste into fill and landscape material has hindered her work at her home office - sometimes from 5:45 a.m. to 8 p.m.
"Imagine your neighbour turning on their lawnmower and that engines is going, and then it stops. Your brain kind of relaxes a bit and then they start again and stops and starts," said Shephard. "That goes on for hours at a time, and it goes on the next day and the next day and the next day."
Shephard said excessive dust has also been a problem and she's observed trucks from the site drive along school zones at twice the speed limit. Not all residents oppose the project however. Eric Anderson of Valleycliffe submitted a letter of support for the facility in recognition of the environmental and economic benefits.
"This property could, in the future, accommodate much higher value industrial uses," wrote Anderson.
The Planning Department is supportive of the proposal because it is in-line with the district's environmental policies by diverting materials away from the waste stream and landfill and towards a process that would see reuse of the products.
District staff stated that the proponent, Dave McRae, has an obligation to impose dust-settling measures, ensure that truck drivers avoid school zones and comply to the district's restrictions on hours of operation. Complaints would be followed-up on, said Planning director Cameron Chalmers.
Coun. Corinne Lonsdale brought forward a motion to defer the issue for two weeks so staff could bring forward background information she said was missing as well as letters protesting the Triack Ltd. facility.
Lonsdale was also concerned with the proposed grinding of cement and asphalt at the facility, and wanted to know whether the proponent intended to bring material from outside municipal boundaries.
Mayor Ian Sutherland strenuously opposed the notion of deferral.
"All we do is defer and defer and defer and say no at every meeting," said Sutherland. "We cannot be deferring every item of a council meeting."
Sutherland called the vote on the deferral and quickly stated that since no one seconded, the motion it was defeated, but Coun. Mike Jenson interjected, raising his hand.
Coun. Patricia Heintzman also interjected, saying she felt she needed more time on the matter.
"This is the first time I've seen this on council and it would be useful for me, before I make my decision, to have a better understanding in order to process the information that's come forward," she said.
Heintzman also wondered if the decision was premature since the Official Community Plan (OCP) determining land use has yet to be completed. Chalmers said the temporary permit would not interfere with the OCP.
"On balance, this is a fairly remote site all things considered," he said. "We think it's an appropriate use, albeit for a maximum of four years on this site."
Council passed the motion to defer the issue to the March 6 council meeting with Sutherland and councilors Raj Kahlon and Jeff McKenzie opposed.
