The Kerwood Fire Hall was a packed house Thursday night as over 100 people filled the seats to hear about the special policy areas currently within the Township of Adelaide Metcalfe, specifically one, located at 25700 Kerwood Road.
Earlier this year LaSalle Agri Fertilizer applied for a site plan approval to create a bio-fertilizer storage facility, and since then the public have been very outspoken against the possibility.
While the definition of the meeting was to solely provide a history and a to-date update regarding the use of each special area property, it quickly turned to those speaking out against the submitted site plan, which hasn’t been released to the public or viewed by council members.
Teresa Fischner lives on Egremont Drive and was one of over 20 people who spoke on the matter and said says there’s too many unknowns about bio-fertilizer.
She says she worries for the future generation who would have to deal with the possible fall out of a bio-storage facility.
Fred Cahill’s family operates Texas Longhorn Ranch which neighbours the proposed site, and they’ve led the opposition charge. He believes there is strength in numbers when it comes to topics like this.
The property is zoned as industrial but has been used for agricultural production for a number of decades. One resident suggested council rezone the property to agricultural and be done with it.
Among other concerns, the groundwater and nearby Sydenham River came up in conversation, as did the smell and health risks of being around the waste.
By the definition of the meeting, mayor Kurtis Smith agreed it could be said that it went off topic when the public started discussing the hypothetical facility.
But that doesn’t mean it wasn’t constructive, and all comments were heard and are being considered.
Next up is another report on the property taking into account Thursday’s input to be submitted to town council in late November or early December.
