Questions raised around Charlottetown's decision on asphalt plants

Asphalt plants will now be allowed in two areas of Charlottetown. At a special meeting Friday afternoon, council passed second and final reading of an amendment to the planning bylaw that would allow asphalt and concrete plants in areas zoned heavy industrial.

Right now, there are two zones in the city — one on a section of the Sherwood Road and one in the West Royalty industrial park. 

The city says the bylaw was changed to identify what areas of Charlottetown were suitable for asphalt and concrete plants. It does not have an application right now to situate one anywhere in the city.

Neighbours and business owners of the Sherwood Road area packed the council chambers to hear the vote — many were disappointed.

'Very disappointing'

"Very disappointing is an understatement," said Jamie Brown, owner of Brown's Volkswagen. He said he is angry an asphalt plant can now be located there, without a public meeting by the city. 

"When the city is talking about clean water and talking about, you know, saving the environment and banning pesticides and reducing our carbon footprint — then we're going to install and have two or three more asphalt plants within our city," he said.

"The city council today, what they did is they put us behind 50 years. They went back 50 years or more."

He went on to say that he worries property values will go down and truck traffic up, if one is built. 

Application to buy land

The question of whether an asphalt plant will be going in was top of mind for many residents, with news that Chapman Brothers plans to purchase land on the Sherwood Road.

It's not clear whether that purchase has been finalized, however documents obtained by CBC from the province show an approval was granted on April 17 for Chapman Brothers to buy six hectares, or 15 acres, of land on the Sherwood Road.

That was just after the city began the process of changing the bylaw to allow asphalt and concrete plants in that area of the city. Council voted to send the amendment to a public meeting in March.

That meeting went ahead and that led to Friday's decision.

Chapman's had an application into the city last year to put an asphalt plant on the Sherwood Road. That application was pulled back. Calls to the company by CBC Friday went unanswered. 

"I mean this just didn't pop up from nowhere. Somebody asked the question if they can put an asphalt plant in the city of Charlottetown," said Coun. Jason Coady, who represents the Sherwood Road area. 

"We went down this road last year. We had a public meeting. There wasn't one person that was in favour of an asphalt plant located in the city of Charlottetown. And here we are back again doing the exact same thing and it passes. I just — I can't understand it. I don't know what's driving this agenda," Coady said.

Not the end says mayor

Mayor Philip Brown said he was told that no one — including staff — had a conflict of interest with the amendment, but said he doesn't think this will be the end of the issue. 

"There is, in any legal process or democratic system, there is an appeal process. That's why we have IRAC — Island Regulatory Appeals Commission — so anyone that does not like our decision on, whether it's an amendment to the bylaw or a rezoning up of a piece of property, he or she or a company can appeal it to IRAC," Mayor Brown said. 

"That's what I explained to the neighbours here ... that there is a process. And the next part of this process is that when an application is received for a permit, that permit or application must go to the provincial Department of Environment and they must do an environmental assessment on the project."

Friday's vote passed 5-4, with councillors Coady, Bob Doiron, Julie McCabe and Mitch Tweel against. Councillors Greg Rivard, Alanna Jankov, Mike Duffy, Terry MacLeod, and Terry Bernard supported it. Coun. Kevin Ramsay was not present.

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