Gibsons council has voted in favour of issuing an environmental development permit for the George Hotel and Residences – the last permit that requires a council vote.
Only Mayor Wayne Rowe and councillors Jeremy Valeriote and Charlene SanJenko were at the July 31 meeting. Rowe read a statement from Coun. Stafford Lumley explaining his absence.
“As you are aware, some members of the community filed a complaint with the Ombudsperson’s office suggesting that I might be in a conflict of interest due to the fact that I own a business in lower Gibsons, and advocated for economic opportunities such as the George Hotel before being elected to council,” the statement said.
“I don’t believe I have a conflict of interest in this matter, and I continue to believe that. However, in order to preserve the integrity of the application review process, I will not be participating in discussions on this matter until I seek a legal opinion.”
Coun. Silas White had already recused himself from debates on the George project, citing a potential conflict because he lives nearby and it could impact his property.
Supporters of the George were at Town Hall early, handing out buttons and filling most of the front rows of the council chamber. By the time the meeting was underway the crowd of about 100 seemed evenly split between people on both sides of the issue.
A background report said studies of the former Hyak Marine site and the neighbouring properties where the George is to be built found contamination from various metals, a substance known as tributyltin, which was used in antifouling paint for boat hulls before being banned, as well hydrocarbons from oil and fuels.
Staff also told council that they were informed on July 12 that the Ministry of Environment (MOE) had accepted the remediation plan drafted by the developer’s consultant Keystone Environmental.
A strategy for protecting fish habitat and the environment of the foreshore had also been reviewed.
Councillors asked a few questions before unanimously approving the permit.
Valeriote commented at one point that he has “full confidence in the very robust [Ministry of Environment] process around the contaminated sites regulation, and the ministry staff… I think this remediation plan is sound.”
When the meeting was opened for public inquiries, it became clear Valeriote’s confidence was not shared by everyone.
Suzanne Senger, former mayoral candidate and representative of Gibsons Alliance of Business and Community, called the remediation plan “inadequate” and said the group has filed an appeal of the MOE approval.
“You’ve been challenged a number of times on the legality of the issuance of these permits,” she said. “Are you suggesting that the Ministry of Environment has signed off on this, therefore you have justification to issue this permit?”
Rowe said because of the appeal, which was filed July 28, he wouldn’t comment, which touched off a tense exchange between the two.
“How much of the Town’s money do you plan to waste on legal action against the Town because you keep making these poor decisions?” asked Senger.
“You’re the ones that are causing the expense to the Town,” Rowe replied.
Senger started a retort with, “You, mister, are dragging this community through …” at which point she was interrupted by applause from George supporters in the audience.
“You are aware there’s a risk to Gibsons’ aquifer,” Senger repeated several times before Rowe stepped in again.
“That’s enough, Ms. Senger. You don’t even live in the town, you don’t pay taxes here, please move on and let our residents have a say.”
The potential risk to the aquifer came up again later when Andre Sobolewski, an environmental consultant who’s raised concerns about site contamination in the past, asked councillors if they’ve considered the consequences of accepting risk. “Would you consider demanding … either the consultant doing the remediation work, or the owner of the property, post a bond in case there was a problem with the aquifer and the measures they proposed are inadequate for dealing with it?”
Others came forward with similar questions.
Town staff responded that developers assume liability for their projects, and carry the risk, but they wouldn’t be asked to post a specific bond.
“Permits that are issued by the Town require liability insurance and developers are the ones that assume all of the risk for their proposed works,” chief administrative officer Emanuel Machado said.
“There is a backup plan that has been put in place. There are four or five peer reviews that have been done. There’s the involvement of DFO [Department of Fisheries and Oceans] and MOE as it relates to their process. So from our end of things we have done what we are required to do and what we felt was necessary to do to make sure the risk is as low as possible.”
With Tuesday’s vote, the only steps remaining before the developer can start construction are development permits based on geotechnical and aquifer impact reviews. Those permits need approval only from planning and engineering staff.
Director of planning Andre Boel and director of engineering Dave Newman told councillors they expect to be in a position to give those approvals later this month, and if work begins shortly afterwards, the George could be completed in 2020.
Klaus Fuerniss, owner of the company behind the project, was not at the meeting but said in an email to Coast Reporter afterwards that although it’s been a long process so far, he doesn’t think that’s a bad thing.
“My team and I have worked with the Town staff, who have been advising council every step of the way, and this was to ensure the integrity of the project. My team and I have been very careful to find ways to minimize the impact on the aquifer, for example, and are using cutting-edge technology in the building process,” Fuerniss said.
“I know there are some who are not happy with change, but I think most of the residents of Gibsons will be very pleased with the project when it’s finished. They will have better access to the whole waterfront, more parking in lower Gibsons, and an anchor for this community hub. I hope we can move forward now.”
