Revisions requested following marathon Cable Bay public hearings

“I want to acknowledge the extraordinary level of public participation on this application. We received over 900 written submissions, with over 840, roughly 94 per cent opposed in its current form. Public hearings have run over 11 hours with the majority of speakers also opposed. That is significant, consistent, thorough feedback from the community.”

Geselbracht said a lot of the opposition did not centre around stopping industrial use, or limiting job creation in the area as a result, but rather concern over the long-lasting environmental impacts of the proposed land use, and impacts to the surrounding communities of Cedar, as well as Gabriola and Mudge Islands.

He added many speakers over the past three sessions, on April 16 and April 22, felt there was a middle ground where sensitive and popular recreational areas could be preserved while still supporting industry and economic gains.

“Many indicated that with meaningful changes, the application could become more supportable and suggest a potential path forward, but the current proposal has not yet found it. Concerns raised are substantial. Cable Bay is a highly valued recreational and environmental asset used by thousands and enjoyed by visitors,” Geselbracht said.

The subject property of 950 Phoenix Way, in red, sits next to the popular Cable Bay Trail and other environmentally sensitive and popular recreational areas. (Image Credit: City of Nanaimo)

His motion, which eventually passed 8-1, suspended the public hearing stage and made four recommendations for staff and NFP to move forward with.

They included narrowing emission-intensive uses to reduce impacts for surrounding residents, improving the buffer between industrial use and the Cable Bay Trail, and increasing the area for light industrial uses while also ensuring heavy industry was as far away from other properties as possible.

Geselbracht’s motion also called to ensure proper drainage and servicing to protect the surrounding environment from spills and contamination.

“Narrowing permitted uses still leaves ample room for appropriate industrial activity, and without regional industrial land, analysis, and strategy, there is no clear justification for placing the most intensive uses on this more sensitive site,” Geselbracht said.

Providing more time for discussions between NFP, the City, Snuneymuxw First Nation and other stakeholders was seen as a major win by most councillors.

Coun. Erin Hemmens praised NFP representatives who had attended all the public hearing sessions and listened to feedback while saying they came in good faith with their proposal.

“We need industrial land, [and] City Plan designated this area as industrial land. We know that the Port has over $100 million of investments coming for Duke Point, and industrial land is going to be needed to support their operations. However, I think the community is very loud and clear…thank you for making your voice heard.”

Opposition to development of lands adjacent to Cable Bay has been strong, with three capacity crowds inside Council chambers, as demonstrated by this photo from the April 16 public hearing session. (Image Credit: Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Coun. Janice Perrino echoed the need for more industrial land in the city but said she wished NFP had withdrawn their application after the first public hearing when a vast majority of speakers were opposed to the move.

“I hope that you do as much as you can to just give this extra time to the public. Whether you take them on tours, whether you do educational pieces, you’ve got to do more public engagement because it’s not working. For those of us who know how badly industrial land is needed, this motion will at least get us talking and working to maybe find a better compromise because I do think there are better compromises than what we’re currently looking at.”

The lone voice against stopping the public hearing and privately continuing conversations about an amended proposal was coun. Ian Thorpe.

Thorpe said the public hearing was designed to hear feedback on a particular proposal, not for Council to make changes on the fly.

“We’re hearing from the public on a specific application that the proponent has put forward, this seems to imply that we don’t want to hear their application unless they make very specific changes that certain councillors might find acceptable. That’s not up to us to dictate what should be put forward to Council.”

Thorpe added Council’s job was to weigh feedback from the public, then “to have the leadership and the courage to then make a decision.”

There is no timeline for discussions on changes to the proposal, and no further public hearing sessions are planned.

While not guaranteed, it is likely another, separate public hearing will be required for amendments made to NFP’s vision for the property.

A trio of public hearings drew several hundreds of people at council chambers inside the Vancouver Island Conference Centre.

At times, tempers flared throughout the course of the hearing process.

Multiple people had to be escorted out of the hearing process by security staff due to unruly behaviour.

— with files from Ian Holmes and Jordan Davidson

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by Alex Rawnsley

Revisions requested following marathon Cable Bay public hearings

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