CARP – Those opposed to a concrete batching plant proposed for Carp Road have presented their case and are now waiting to hear from the city and Cavanaugh Construction.

Last October, a Local Planning Appeals Tribunal (LPAT) got underway after several West Carleton area residents opposed a zoning amendment by the City of Ottawa that would allow a concrete batching plant be built and operated by Cavanagh Construction within the Carp Road Corridor.

LPAT is an adjudicative tribunal that hears cases in relation to a range of land use matters, heritage conservation and municipal governance.

Appeals that come before LPAT are identified through policies found in the Planning Act, Aggregate Act, Heritage Act, Municipal Act, Development Charges Act and Expropriations Act. These include matters such as official plans, zoning by-laws, subdivision plans, consents and minor variances, land compensations, development charges, electoral ward boundaries, municipal finances, aggregate resources and other issues assigned by numerous Ontario statutes.

Many Carp residents living near the proposed site are concerned about what a batching plant will mean for the environment, specifically Huntley Creek, which is in close proximity to the proposed site and meanders through a good part of south West Carleton. They also are concerned with the potential for a significant increase in heavy truck traffic on Carp Road; air pollution; contamination of groundwater; a detrimental impact on nearby homeowners; and other issues.

The tribunal has faced several delays with COVID-19 being the most recent issue.

“We were recently notified that because of the COVID-19 pandemic the province’s LPAT tribunal would no longer be holding an oral hearing for our case,” opponent Lynn Grabe released in a statement yesterday (July 2). “We would have preferred to make our case in person however, the decision was out of our hands.”

Currently, the opposition has filed its final written argument to the tribunal.

“We feel very good about what we have submitted,” Grabe said. “It highlighted all the major points that we believe violated the rules and misrepresented the impacts of the proposed plant in order to get the zoning amendment passed. This appeal was a community-based group effort that we have actively been working on for over a year. The whole process has been time consuming and costly and we are extremely appreciative of the support that we received from so many.”

The City and Cavanagh Construction Ltd. now have a few weeks to respond and to submit their final arguments.

“We will then get to file a brief rebuttal of their submissions,” Grabe said. “Finally, they will get to submit a final rebuttal to whatever we have filed. Frankly, we believe the facts are hard to dispute. The concrete plant simply doesn’t belong on this site. We will let you all know as soon as we receive word of the decision.”