An unexpected gravel pit application referral from the province has prompted the District of Sicamous to voice opposition and proceed with a bylaw to control such activity.
Last month, the district received a referral (request for input) through FrontCounter BC for an application to the Ministry of Energy and Mines. The application is for a five-year-permit to operate a rock quarry at 200 Old Town Road. The project would include an excavating pit, crushing, screening and blasting of materials. The application also states that approximately 300 cubic metres of timber would be removed to facilitate the work.
The application, dated Dec. 7, was presented at the Dec. 12 council meeting as a last minute agenda item by district community planning officer Mike Marrs, who explained staff had no prior knowledge of the application.
“The big issue for us, in my mind, is that the visual impact on the district from the forest perspective, and from just neighbours and residents, would be incredibly negative,” Marrs commented. “Further to that, the official community plan basically directs any such activities to the south of our municipality at Two Mile, to a very specific parcel that is above Two Mile and butts up against the regional district boundary.”
Marrs noted the application would also impact land in the Columbia Shuswap Regional District. The applicant's property is adjacent to land in the regional district's jurisdiction.
“In discussion with their planning department, they are having concerns with it as well because of the steepness of grades in that area imply that any removal of materials within that property is going to encroach… and potentially cause some hazardous situations,” said Marrs.
CSRD planner Jan Thingsted says that while the regional district did not receive a referral from the province, it shares Sicamous district staff's concerns in relation to the grade of the quarry, potential negative impact on adjacent properties, increased truck traffic and noise and potential runoff and slope instability, among others. In addition, Thingsted said the CSRD the wouldn't support the application as it's not supported by Sicamous' OCP.
In his report to council, Marrs says that in 2007, the property was the subject of unresolved complaints relating to the removal of trees, soil and aggregate from the property.
“At the time… the property owner justified the removal by indicating he was constructing a driveway and a building site for a new home. The owner was advised that a commercial operation was not a permitted use of the land and as the district had no confirmation available that aggregates were being sold, the matter did not proceed to any enforcement action,” writes Marrs.
In addition, the district has been made aware of an existing encroachment issue involving rock and fill from the subject property being placed on subdivided country-residential lots below.
Marrs had two recommendations for council, the first being that council express to the province their “unequivocal” objection to the permit application.
Council agreed to this, as well as a second recommendation from Marrs that staff continue with the creation of a soils removal and deposition bylaw.
Marrs explained the CSRD has already developed its own soils removal bylaw, regulating commercial and industrial operations that remove more than 350 cubic metres of soil per year, and that Sicamous district staff was instructed by the previous council to do the same. Work on the bylaw was delayed by this summer’s flooding and changes in staff. However, it is staff’s intent to bring it forward early this year for council’s consideration and adoption.