County residents voice opposition to portable asphalt plant
A rezoning application that could pave the way for a portable asphalt plant northwest of Coalhurst is being opposed by residents living in the area.
More than 30 people packed into Lethbridge County council chambers Thursday for a public hearing, which is part of an application to amend the Land Use Bylaw for LSD 1025-9-23-W4 in order to rezone it from Rural Agricultural to Rural Heavy Industrial.
The rezoning would be one step in the application process for Tollestrup Construction, and would require further approvals under the Code of Practice for Asphalt Paving Plants, the Water Act and Code of Practice for Pits.
The portable asphalt plant would be added to an onsite gravel extraction operation approved for the area. Gravel extraction is an allowed use under Rural Agricultural zoning rules.
Tollestrup is a local business that has been operating in the Lethbridge area for nearly 80 years. The company has owned the plot for a number years and it is the site of previous gravel projects.
Concerns among landowners in the area included a slippery slope argument that rezoning the land would open the coulee to further heavy industrial development down the road.
There have also been concerns about dust, odour and air quality; environmental contamination; human and animal health; transportation and traffic safety; views and negative traffic safety; and noise. Some homeowners also expressed concerns about property values.
Martie Murphy, co-owner of Tollestrup Construction, said she understands the passion area residents are feeling over the issue and that she appreciated the meaningful dialogue taking place.
However, she said the residents may have a different idea about what they think the development will look like rather than what it will actually be.
“I think when a person hears about an asphalt plant, they have a preconceived idea of what an asphalt plant actually is,” she said. “By today’s standards, asphalt plants have evolved. They are environmentally safe, they have to be approved by (Alberta Environment).”
She noted the asphalt plant will have “minimal to no impact” on the environment, especially considering the reclamation efforts planned for the gravel extraction operation.
“To set an asphalt plant beside an existing operation with no impact to the environment is kind of a win-win,” she said.
Jerry Herasemluk is an area homeowner who said residents in the area are united in their opposition to the development.
“We, of course, disagree with some of the information they conveyed with respect to distance from our homes, dust and oil, noise pollution, and the health risks,” he said. He noted there have been issues with gravel operations with asphalt plants in other parts of the country
“We disagree that there is little to no health risk,” he said. “It’s been shown in other parts of Canada that there is.”
Murphy said the plant will have less of an environmental impact than the gravel extraction planned for the area, which has already been approved.
“If you compare a crusher to an asphalt plant, it has less impact,” Murphy said.
“It’s a bit frustrating when you have land, and you’ve had an operation on there for many years,” she said. “This operation is a benefit to that operation and a benefit to the community at the end of the day.”
A decision on the application will be made at a later date. A bylaw amendment for a rezoning application must pass second and third reading in open council to be finalized.
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