KENILWORTH – Agricultural, commercial and rural industrial uses are now permitted on a lot beside the Riverstown Waste Facility.
That’s because a compatibility study found the site is unlikely to be affected by ground water, surface water, or landfill gas impacts related to its proximity to the landfill.
The site is 500 metres away from the landfill at the Riverstown Waste Facility between Kenilworth and Mount Forest.
A holding provision placed on the five-hectare property at 9442 Highway 6 was removed during a Wellington North council meeting on April 22.
Without the holding provision, agricultural site-specific regulations apply to the site, which is currently vacant.
The holding provision was in place so the compatibility study could be completed to the satisfaction of Wellington County’s solid waste services before any further building permits were granted.
The compatibility study was mandatory under the Ministry of Environment, which “specifies restriction and controls on land use within the vicinity of landfills and dumps, in order to protect the health, safety, convenience and welfare of residents near such facilities,” according to a report from Wellington County planners Jamie Barnes and Asavari Jadhav-Admane.
The compatibility study was based on the specific development proposed and reviewed impacts, assessed risks, and recommended appropriate setbacks and buffering.
The proposed development is for a new building (warehouse facility) and yard for overhead door inventory and assembly.
The proposed building will be about 2,300 square metres and more than 200 metres away from the edge of the planned future waste fill limit, according to a summary of the compatibility study.
The study was completed by RJ Burnside in September, and peer reviewed by AtkinsRéalis.
The company concurs with RJ Burnside’s findings and “provided recommendations that would help mitigate the likelihood of incompatible land uses between the two properties,” according to the county planners’ report.
“The County of Wellington [solid waste services] division is satisfied that the holding provision can now be lifted providing that the recommended mitigation measures are implemented by the applicant” the report states. The recommendations and mitigation measures can be implemented during the site plan approval process, it notes.
Councillor Steve McCabe asked what was entailed in the study to make the proposed development acceptable, and who would be held liable if there was a future problem with ground water, surface water or land forecast.
Chief building official Darren Jones said the property was formerly owned by Wellington North, and the township rezoned it as a condition of sale to the developer.
The property is now owned by James Martin.
“Because of its proximity to the dump, we thought a [compatibility] study was warranted,” Jones said.
“Not that we had any knowledge of there being any contaminates or anything that would cause a problem,” he noted.
“We added the holding provision to make sure that the study was done.”
“This has been a process in the works for a while,” said Mayor Andy Lennox. “I’m assuming the applicant is still willing to proceed?”
Jones confirmed the applicant is still willing to proceed, and is currently working through the site plan approval.
“I believe they hope to build this spring or summer,” Jones said.
“Glad to hear it,” Lennox said.
