Time:

3:30 p.m.

Place:

Council Chambers

Richmond City Hall

Present:

Joe Erceg, Chair

John Irving, Director of Engineering

Victor Wei, Director of Transportation

The meeting was called to order at 3:30 p.m.

1.

Minutes

It was moved and seconded

That the minutes of the meeting of the Development Permit Panel held on Wednesday, July 15, 2009, be adopted.

CARRIED

2.

Development Permit 09-476289
(File Ref. No.:  09-476289)   (REDMS No. 2658427)

APPLICANT:

Ray-Mont Logistics

PROPERTY LOCATION:

15900 River Road

INTENT OF PERMIT:

To permit the construction of grain storage silos and pave a portion of the yard at 15900 River Road on a site zoned Light Industrial District (I2) and is partially within an Environmentally Sensitive Area and a Riparian Management Area.

Applicant’s Comments

Luke Mireault, Terminal Manager, accompanied by Sophie Bouchard, Project Manager, Ray-Mont Logistics, used a Power Point presentation, and drew the Panel’s attention to the following:

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Ray-Mont Logistics, a forward looking company with sound environmental practices, has operated its business in Richmond for the past 18 months, and an intensive clean-up operation, to discard the concrete, gravel and rebar left on the site by the previous owner, has taken place;

§         

a next step is to pave the site to prevent both mud and dust from impacting the subject site and adjacent sites;

§         

the unique site context, including the Riparian Management Area (RMA) extending into the subject property along the entire northern property boundary, as well as the Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA) on the site, has provided motivation to Ray-Mont to create a compensation plan to install trees, native shrubs, wetland plants and native seed mixtures to enhance the site;

§         

regarding site drainage considerations, a grass channel bioswale with a pumped sediment tank system, a system not commonly used, but with precedents in cities such as Salem, Oregon, will be introduced to: (i) decrease the velocity and quantity of storm water runoff; (ii) maximize surface infiltration; and (iii) strip contaminants and grit from any runoff;

§         

the grain storage silos are earmarked for the southeast corner of the site; and

§         

an environmental assessment confirms that Ray-Mont’s plans for the site will benefit the habitat and will help create a precedent in the River Road/No. 7 Road area for the appearance and maintenance of lots.

Staff Comments

Brian J. Jackson, Director of Development stated that staff recommends in favour of a Development Permit for the applicant. He commended the applicant, and added that the applicant had responded promptly to all staff comments with regard to environmental issues on the subject site, and that the application was processed very quickly due to the completeness and quality of studies, documents and plans submitted with the application. 

Panel Discussion

In response to queries, the applicant and staff provided the following information:

§          

operations optimization would reduce truck traffic on River Road by 15%, due to the increase in efficiency of transloading;

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Ray-Mont uses a conveyor-and-elevator system to load and unload grain;

§          

the 15 metre buffer from River Road along the north boundary of the site, and the 15 metre buffer from No. 7 Road along the east boundary of the site, provide protection for the ESAs and the vegetation they contain;

§          

the proposal had been reviewed and approved by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO); the RMA areas would be monitored by the City for 12 months, and thereafter the DFO would be responsible for monitoring;

§          

by the Fall of 2009 the applicant hopes to start the paving and planting phase, with silo construction to follow after the building permit process is completed.

Correspondence

None.

Gallery Comments

None.

The Chair stated that he was pleased to see what the applicant had been able to accomplish to date, during a compressed timeline. He added that the Panel looked forward to the enhancements Ray-Mont would make on the subject site and that the proposed development would have a positive influence on neighbouring properties.

Panel Decision

It was moved and seconded

That a Development Permit be issued which would permit the construction of grain storage silos and pave a portion of the yard at 15900 River Road on a site zoned Light Industrial District (I2) and is partially within an Environmentally Sensitive Area and a Riparian Management Area.

CARRIED

3.

Adjournment

It was moved and seconded

That the meeting be adjourned at 3:50 p.m.

CARRIED

Certified a true and correct copy of the Minutes of the meeting of the Development Permit Panel of the Council of the City of Richmond held on Wednesday, July 29, 2009.

_________________________________

_________________________________

Joe Erceg

Chair

Sheila Johnston

Committee Clerk