by Lyonel Doherty

Residents in the industrial park area have signed a petition opposing gravel crushing and asphalt mixing in their neighbourhood.

Concerned homeowner Meranda Elliott started the petition when she heard rumblings that a gravel crushing business was being proposed.

“My biggest concern is quality of life . . . I believe this type of business should not be in a residential area.”

Elliott has obtained approximately 50 signatures, but said 200-300 more are needed for the petition to have any clout with Town council.

The petition refers to industrial park property owned by Chris Jentsch (adjacent to Nulton Irrigation) on Sawmill Road. Jentsch has been issued a business licence to operate a gravel processing and asphalt mixing plant on Maple Avenue. A licence has also been issued to Thorp’s Concrete and Masonry Products Ltd. (under agent Bill Ross) on Miller Avenue.

Gravel crushing and asphalt mixing plants are currently permitted on land in the M2 (heavy industrial) zone established in Oliver’s current zoning bylaw.

The previous council instructed staff to bring forward a zoning amendment bylaw that would remove these as permitted uses in the M2 zone. However, after a public hearing in November, council chose to abandon this amendment, leaving gravel crushing and asphalt mixing uses in place within the existing bylaw.

Council is currently in the midst of updating the bylaw and plans to consult with industrial land owners and the broader community about heavy industrial uses in Oliver.

Elliott fears that if enough people don’t become informed about what’s going on, they may see a gravel crushing operation in their backyard.

“If this goes through, I’m going to sell my house (before the property value declines), Elliott said.

She cited concerns about air pollution, noise, constant dust, increased truck traffic, and surface water contamination.

But Jentsch said the issue is really being thrown out of proportion.

“Noise and dust levels will be in the accepted norms of any business operating commercially. These operations are very seasonal and exist in most every municipality.”

As the owner of C&B Gravel and Paving, Jentsch has begun operations in the industrial area where the current M2 zoning allows. He will start processing and selling gravel in the spring.

“I would invite anyone with noise and dust concerns to go up to the high school where crushing of materials has been co-existing harmoniously for many weeks . . . in the center where children are learning and in the heart of residential Oliver.”

Jentsch urges the community and its leaders to make informed decisions and allow the hard working men and women who work in the area’s industries to be allowed to do so, “all the while raising their families and at the same time feeding our tax base.”

This latter point is sometimes lost, he pointed out.

But local resident Deborah Johnson said the thought of having a gravel crushing operation in her neighbourhood is “devastating.” Her property backs onto an oxbow where a lot of wildlife call home.

“If they bring that (asphalt plant) in, it will just destroy my sanctuary.”

Homeowner Daryl Sanderson said he can’t see how locating a gravel crushing plant in this area is feasible. He stated the noise will echo quite loudly and the gravel trucks hauling the material will take a huge toll on Sawmill Road.

Sanderson said he used to live within two miles of a gravel crushing plant in Mission, and he still felt the effects of the dust and noise.

Mayor Ron Hovanes said the Town will invite all those effected to a meeting in order to get their feedback. At some point after this, council will host a public hearing on the matter before adopting the zoning bylaw.

“We will make every effort to hear from the effected land owners, neighbours and the public,” Hovanes said.

Elliott encourages everyone with concerns to make sure they attend the public hearing when it is announced. Anyone who wishes to sign the petition can email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Elliott said she is not opposed to gravel crushing operations as long they are located away from residential neighbourhoods. For example, the operation in question would be best suited for Senkulmen Business Park, she pointed out.

Brennan Clarke, public relations officer for the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, said the ministry would have little to do with gravel crushing on private land in the industrial park. In terms of noise abatement, this would fall under municipal regulations, Clarke stated.

Because of the current zoning, property owners in the industrial park can do what the zoning allows, in this case, process gravel, Clarke said.

For council to suddenly change that use could be “problematic,” he noted.

Clarke said if an applicant is merely crushing gravel on site, it’s a municipal issue. If he extracts gravel from the site, it becomes a provincial issue.

In any event, residential homeowners have a responsibility to know what is and what isn’t allowed in their neighbourhood before they purchase. “It’s buyer beware,” Clarke said.