The Stony Valley Project has received the go-ahead after a public consultation process lasting more than three years.
Planners attached a slew of conditions to their decision which relate to hours of operation, reduction of noise, road maintenance and signage.
It marks a major milestone for the company behind the $12 million sand and gravel proposal, Stony Valley Contracting.
“I am very happy they have made a decision,” said company general manager Dan Fouts last Wednesday. “It is every exciting.”
He said it had been six years since the company began exploring a gravel deposit find in Barrhead county.
After feasibility studies, a lengthy period of public consultation followed.
“It has rightfully taken a long time,” said Fouts. “This is a development that we know is going to have an impact on the community. We have never denied it and it was right to take the appropriate time to address as many of the concerns as possible and put in measures to mitigate them.”
Fouts said the next step was for Stony Valley to review the conditions attached to a development permit and see whether the project was still viable. He also pledged to meet residents.
“The public consultation process never stops,” he said.
The Municipal Planning Commission – which is made up of Barrhead County councillors – unanimously approved the development application last Tuesday. There will now be an opportunity to appeal the decision.
For residents living near the proposed haul route and Barrhead county pit site the decision is hugely significant. Some fear the sound of crushers will disrupt the peace in their rural communities.
The extraction and crushing operation will take place on roughly 551 acres at S 10-61-7-W5 and W 3-61-7-W5, about 30 miles from downtown Barrhead. Stony Valley say the project will be phased over 30 years.
Among a large batch of conditions imposed by the MPC are:
• Stony Valley entering an agreement with the County of Barrhead which includes such matters as reclamation, control of on-site noise, dust, weeds, storage of top soil, designation of haul routes to reduce noise, dust and maintenance of roads and the construction roads to the County’s specifications and satisfaction;
• The developer making a similar agreement with Lac Ste Anne County;
• A buffer zone of 50 metres from east of the property line shall be maintained. This area is not to be disturbed;
• The developer shall prevent noise from becoming an annoyance to neighbouring landowners at the request of and to the satisfaction of the Development Authority. Required prevention may include, but not limited to, locating stockpiles to act as sound barriers and using methods of minimizing and reducing noise created by machinery and equipment.
• Noise levels during operations must be in accordance with Alberta Energy Regulator criteria, with Stony Valley being responsible for monitoring noise levels at the site and providing results of data to County as required;
• The operator must provide the County with proof of a minimum of $2 million in liability insurance coverage;
• Postage of adequate road signage to a standard that satisfies the County of Barrhead; and
• Any Alberta Transportation requirements of highway intersection studies or improvements are the sole responsibility of the developer.
Planners agreed the pit will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, while the crushing will take place on average eight months per year, with 10 days on and four days off, and 2-12 hour shifts.
The hauling hours will be limited to 11 months annually, five days per week and 12 hours per day. There will be no hauling on statutory holidays, while the maximum speed for vehicles will be 80kms per hour on local roads or on License of Occupation roads.
The number of trucks will average 31, with three trips per day.
At the request of MPC members, Development Officer Rick Neumann included a condition that jake brakes can only be used for safety purposes.
Any extension to these hours for operation and hauling may be approved for a temporary period at the discretion of the Development Authority of the County.
During hauling operations, Stony Valley will be expected to maintain local roads.
The MPC granted development approval for five years. This may be renewed at the discretion of the Development Authority.
The commission’s decision marked the end of a marathon consultation process by Stony Valley Contracting, who held discussions with governments, consultants and landowners, as well as environmental studies over a proposal dating back to 2008 when an exploration program was launched.
Such discussions resulted in the present route through the Connor Creek Provincial Grazing Reserve that protects sharp tailed grouse habitat.
Stony Valley Contracting general manager, Dan Fouts, has said the project will benefit Barrhead, with local people being hired for pit operations and gravel haulage.
He said there would also be road maintenance and welding jobs. In addition, Stony Valley intended using local goods and services, including equipment and fuel.
The development application was submitted on January 30, 2014, and tabled by the MPC at the regular County council meeting on March 4 attended by 12 concerned residents. The meeting heard about an 83-name petition.
On April 15, the application was tabled a second time by the MPC following a presentation from the Moose Wallow Land Owners Alliance.
The MPC reviewed the application a third time on May 6. Patrick Froment, principal partner at Edmonton-based Acoustical Consultants Inc., attended the meeting to speak about the predicted noise impact of the project. He told residents who face being disturbed by the project that stockpiles should bring noise to below permissible levels, according to computer calculations.
According to Alberta Energy Regulator criteria, the Permitted Sound Level (PSL) for residents further than 500 metres from heavily travelled roads is an LeqNight of 40 dBA at night-time, between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., while in day-time – 7 a.m.-10 p.m. – the PSL for residents further than 500 metres from heavily travelled roads is an LeqDay of 50 dBA.
The PSL, measured in decibels (dB) Leq, is the maximum sound level that a facility must not exceed at the nearest or most impacted residence. A-weighted decibels, abbreviated dBA, are an expression of the relative loudness of sounds in air as perceived by the human ear. In the A-weighted system, the decibel values of sounds at low frequencies are reduced, compared with unweighted decibels, in which no correction is made for audio frequency.
Last week, MPC members approved the application after a 45-minute session. They also agreed the approval be advertised and that notification of the development be sent to adjoining landowners.
Coun. Bill Lane wondered whether $2 million liability insurance coverage was sufficient.
“Maybe it should be higher,” he said.
Questions were also raised about noise monitoring and who should carry it out. Should it be Stony Valley or a neutral body?
Councillor Darrell Troock said the MPC and Stony Valley Contracting had done due diligence.
“We have listened to the experts, we have listened to the residents and we have certainly not been shy in having meetings with them,” he said.
“We have had ample meetings and when it comes down to it we have an obligation and get at it.
“We can’t hold up business. We don’t want to chase these people away from our community.”
Troock said the project should be reviewed in five years.
“I look at this agreement this way – if in five years down the road these guys aren’t playing ball the way they are supposed to we shut them down. End of story.
“If they are good neighbours, if they are good community people then we let them go on.”
