The Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) board has backed off on its call for the provincial government to halt Burnco Rock Products’ environmental assessment process, but still wants the company to present its new plan to the public.
Directors agreed at the Oct. 9 community services committee meeting to amend a recommendation from last month on Burnco’s revised plans for a gravel mine at McNab Creek, deleting the request for the province to halt the assessment process.
Instead, the motion asks the province to direct Burnco to commence a public engagement process to inform the public of the revised plan.
“It sounds to me that in the interest of communication … this motion is completely appropriate,” Egmont/Pender Harbour director Frank Mauro said at the meeting.
The board retained its assertion from the original recommendation that the new plan “materially alters the original statements presented to the public by the applicant.”
Burnco’s revised plan, submitted to the province in July, reduces the tree buffer between the shore and the processing area and moves the dock and eastern boundary of the processing area closer to strata properties at McNab Creek.
As well, the new plan increases the processing area from 25,200 square metres to 40,785 square metres.
The amended motion retained the comments reflecting the board’s concerns about noise, lighting and foreshore impact. It also directed staff to arrange a meeting as soon as possible between the board and Squamish Nation’s chief and council to discuss the changes, and to add the topic to the Howe Sound Community Forum meeting that was set for this Friday, Oct. 17.
