Plans for one of 15 potential destinations for capital region kitchen scraps are meeting with impassioned resistance from neighbours of the property.
About 100 people filled the Shirley Community Hall Saturday, peppering presenter David Laing with questions and concerns, sometimes leaving little room for answers. In an informal vote, the majority raised their hands against the proposal, which is still in its infancy.
Laing has purchased the property from Western Forest Products, pending rezoning for industrial use. The Victoria resident also owns Fisher Road Recycling in Cobble Hill, which processes kitchen scraps for Saanich. He had invited residents of Shirley and Jordan River to the meeting to explain his idea for a composting facility across the highway from Sandcut Beach.
The facility would process 20,000 tonnes of waste per year, with potential to expand to 30,000 tonnes, he said. The nearest residence is 1.7 kilometres from the site and traffic would increase by an average two to three trucks per day. Laing estimated the facility will provide five to 10 full-time jobs and about $20,000 to $40,000 in new tax revenue a year for Juan de Fuca electoral district.
But residents said they continue to be concerned about increased traffic, odour and potential contamination.
“The problem with this proposal, I think, is that it destroys the pristine nature of our area. It will change the area fundamentally,” said Gerhard Wild, who owns Fossil Bay Resort, 2.7 km from the proposed site.
“And we should not forget that this is not just a problem for us residents here, but this is a prime vacation area on weekends for people from Victoria.”
Others at the public meeting said they worried about pests, impact on tourism and proximity to Sandcut Beach about 1.2 km away, part of Jordan River Regional Park.
“Let’s make sure the process is correct,” said environmentalist Vicky Husband. “If you’ve got a property with a composting facility that isn’t adequately managed upstream, it’s going to come downstream.”
While Laing’s preliminary research showed prevailing winds would minimize odour in the area, residents at the meeting said the data was wrong.
He promised to address concerns raised at the meeting. “I understand their fears and don’t blame them for their position, given what has happened in the industry in Victoria. All it takes is a little time to learn about it, then make an informed decision on it,” Laing said after the meeting.
He emphasized the facility would be much more isolated than his Fisher Road operation, which has neighbours within 100 metres.
Mike Hicks, Juan de Fuca electoral area director, said it’s still early in the approval process. Laing will have to obtain green lights from the Capital Regional District, advisory planning commission and land-use committee before the plan even reaches the public-hearing stage. “It’s a huge long process and we have a great system in Juan de Fuca, so it’s not going to happen overnight,” said Hicks, who commended Laing for initiating the public meeting.
“He’s going right to the community before it gets started to say, ‘This is what I want to do, this is how it would work,’ and he’s trying to address concerns.”
Kitchen scraps will be banned from Hartland Landfill as of Jan. 1, diverting up to 30,000 tonnes of organic material.
The CRD received 15 expressions of interest from potential processors by last week’s deadline, according to environmental services committee chairman Nils Jensen. He did not say if any are on the mainland, but said proximity to the capital region would be a factor in the decision. Jensen would not reveal locations or details of any of the proposals.
“One of the criteria, no doubt, will be the carbon footprint of whichever [processor] we choose and to make sure it’s environmentally friendly, when it comes to greenhouse gases and energy consumption,” Jensen said.
The committee will determine a shortlist of three to four before putting out a request for proposals, he said.
