Concrete firm hits wall of opposition

The meeting was designed to gather public input and discuss future land use and development options for the Robinson Weir Road area, said Warden Jim Thurber.

Tom Rice, vice-president of business operations with V.J. Rice Concrete Ltd., has asked the municipality to rezone a property on the western end of Robinson Weir Road as industrial.

Rice said his company purchased the 6.15-acres property in 1981, but the Conway area underwent zoning changes in 2002 and the property was zoned for residential use. “The property is just west of the Department of Transportation yard. It’s vacant,” he told the information session held at the Municipal Building. “When our property was initially purchased in 1981, it was done so for the purpose of eventually establishing a concrete ready mix batching facility on site,” Rice said in his letter to council.

The company has a ready mix batching plant on Victoria Street in Digby, and Rice explained he would like to move from that site to the Robinson Weir Road property, which would provide good access to the highway, and be consistent with what is already in the area.

Rice also told those at the meeting their hours of operation would be Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

One woman asked him how many trucks would travel in and out on the Robinson Weir Rd. in the run of a day. Rice estimated 10 to 20 trucks on a normal day.

Rice anticipated more employment opportunities if this change goes through.

The majority of residents in attendance felt the Robinson Weir Road should remain a residential area. “If the bylaws can be amended to allow one (industry), whose to say it can’t be amended to allow several?” asked resident Dan Francis. “If this industry comes in, it could be a snowball effect after that.”

Another resident noted there is an industrial park zoned for these types of operations.

Deputy warden Jimmy MacAlpine wondered how much noise and dust the concrete facility would create. “Truck noise,” Rice replied would be the extent of any noise and there is “very little dust involved.”

Some were also concerned about the facility using up the well water, leaving not enough water for surrounding houses.

The residents don’t want to prevent anyone from making a living, but they want to see it kept residential, Francis said.

The planning advisory committee will meet to review the input from the July 20 public information session. The committee still has to decide whether to move forward with a recommendation to council. “Before it moved any further, the report would have to go to the council and if council wanted to consider it formally, there’s a process,” explained Chris Millier of 4 Site Group, “where we’ve got to advertise and hold a public meeting.” ldelong@digbycourier.ca