Will asphalt plant make a good neighbour for the Whistler Athletes Village?

Even though the keys to the Whistler Olympic and Paralympic Athlete Village were turned over to VANOC on October 30, 2009, the tone is less than celebratory for homeowners who purchased homes in Whistler's new housing development - Cheakamus Crossing.

The site will house 3,500 athletes and officials during the games, and will be handed over to local residents after the 2010 Winter Olympics. However, a nearby asphalt plant is threatening to destroy the Whistler "dream."

With less than two weeks before the second deposit was due, homeowners learned that the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) was considering a rezoning application from Whistler Aggregates Ltd., which would see the firm move their asphalt operation and gravel pit expansion area further away from Cheakamus Crossing. The gravel pit is currently located about 500 metres from the development.

On November 17, over 100 frustrated homeowners packed the council meeting, demanding that the asphalt plant be relocated. Council has organized an emergency council meeting for tonight at 5:30 p.m. to discuss the rezoning proposal.

Time is running out as Christmas approaches and council hosts their last meetings for 2009. All council meetings have "conveniently" been cancelled from December 15, 2009 to March 23, 2010.

Whistler's new "sustainable Olympic village" has been controversy-free until now, unlike Vancouver's troubled Olympic Village in False Creek.

In late 2008, local residents snapped up 221 resident-restricted homes and 55 apartments, making the Whistler 2020 Development Corp. very happy. After all, the housing sales would help offset the $161 million price tag for Whistler's Olympic Village.

Like other Whistlerites, my name was on the Whistler Housing Authority's waiting list. I had the opportunity to purchase a unit, but after careful consideration and "red flags," I passed on the opportunity.

Although the subdivision was marketed as a "green" Olympic legacy, its location is anything but green, even if it's one of only 20 Canadian developments designated as a pilot project for LEED-ND (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design - Neighbourhood Development).

1. The Whistler's Athletes Village was constructed adjacent to a closed municipal landfill. The site holds over 350,000 tonnes of waste buried between the late 1970's to its closure in November 2005. There's always the remote possibility of future methane explosions.

2. The Whistler Wastewater Treatment Centre is also located next to the village and has been in operation since 1978. It's currently undergoing a $51.5 million upgrade and it's not moving anywhere.

3. The gravel pit property has been zoned Industrial IP1 (Industrial Processing One) since 1984. Both the gravel pit and asphalt facility have been in operation since the early nineties, and even though the plant never received proper zoning, it can remain at its current location under a long-standing "grandfather" clause.

Caveat Emptor/Buyer Beware

It appears that homeowners had the "Olympic rings pulled over their eyes." I can't blame them. After all, they were simply looking for an affordable place for their families to live, work and play in Whistler.

After nine years of living in Whistler, I don't remember a single complaint about the asphalt plant or the toxic fumes it emanates, from the nearby Bear Creek housing complex or elementary school. Only kayakers have reported contracting eye and skin infections after being on the Cheakamus River.

On the other hand, the municipality and realtors were not forthcoming with more information than required to sell the units. On the  Cheakamus Crossing [2]website,  the development is described as "... a sustainable, compact, pedestrian-focused neighbourhood." No mention of the asphalt plant, gravel pit, the landfill or sewage treatment plant.

The Cheakamus Crossing Disclosure Statement, dated October 7, 2008, is vaguely worded as follows:

7.4 Other Material Facts

(c) The Developer is adjacent to an operational asphalt and gravel facility which may create associated noise, dust, odours and activity. The Municipality is currently discussing the possibility of relocating the asphalt operation with the owner of the asphalt and gravel facility.

(d) The Municipality waste treatment facility is located adjecent to the neighbourhood. The facility is currently undergoing a major retrofit and upgrade to increase the capacity of the facility and to decrease odours that may result from its operation.

Whistler council has asked staff to look the options to move the asphalt plant and the legal options on extinguishing the non-conforming use of the zoned space, and has requested that the Whistler Development Corporation extend the second deposit date.

Some residents will forfeit the 2 per cent non-refundable deposit, while others will stick by their original commitments. The estimated cost to move the asphalt plant is $2 million, a cost that will be covered by Whistler's taxpayers, who are already covering the cost overruns of the three-week mega party for the world's elite.

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