The Board of the Regional District of Fraser Fort George will consider granting a Temporary Use Permit for crushing gravel near McBride at its meeting this month.
N&V Construction has applied for a Temporary Use Permit to allow crushing and screening of gravel on the site of an existing gravel pit about 15 km east of McBride, near King Creek Rd. N&V Construction holds the License of Occupation from the Ministry of Lands, Forest and Natural Resource Operations to extract sand and gravel from the site known as King Creek Gravel Pit, at 5306 Highway 16 East.
The property is currently zoned R5 which allows for gravel extraction, but not for processing.
Most of the property is within the Agricultural Land Reserve, and the applicant has a notice of intent approved by the Agricultural Land Commission to extract, crush and screen gravel on a 0.1 hectare portion of the property, with a $10,000 security. Reclamation activities must be completed by October 1 2017, but gravel extraction may continue after that. Northern Health recommends a dust control program for the operation to protect local air quality.
Viktor Bugaychuk, owner of N&V Construction, has also applied for an amendment to the Mines Act Permit to allow for crushing and screening at the site. Both the Temporary Use Permit and the amendment to the Mines Act permit are required for the operation to commence, but no other land permits would be required for the 3 year duration of the Temporary Use Permit, if it is granted.
Public consultation for the Temporary Use Permit Number 169 was held on October 3 in McBride.
One letter was submitted by neighbours Don Ironside and Eveline AuCoin, with a number of concerns ranging from noise, dust and heavy truck traffic, possible effects on the value of their resort property should they decide to sell, and possible contamination and damage to their water source in King Creek and water lines. Ironside and AuCoin also note that the applicant has been crushing gravel on the site already.
Kenna Jonkman of the Regional District’s Development Services notes that the Ministry of Transportation did grant Mr. Biagiachuk temporary permission to operate a crushing machine on the property to make the subdivision road.
Another resident, Denis King asked if the operation at this site would have any effect on the operation of Mr. Bugaychuk’s other business adjacent to Bevier Creek. Bugaychuk responded that the businesses are separate and have no effect on each other.
Bugaychuk also owns Robson Valley Construction, which has a Temporary Use Permit for a concrete plant and trucking operation on the corner of Mountain View Road and Bevier Road. Robson Valley Construction has applied for a zoning bylaw amendment to allow the operation to continue at that location. A public hearing for the amendment has been authorized by the District Board, but has not yet been scheduled.
The Temporary Use Permit for crushing at the King Creek Gravel Pit will be considered at the Regional Board meeting on October 17.
By: Korie Marshall
