As part of Mountain View County's existing active gravel pits project, councillors have approved a number of amendments to operating regulations.
The move came during the recent regularly scheduled council meeting.
The amendments approved at the June 28 council meeting followed a public hearing on June 20, 21 and 23.
Regarding portable asphalt paving plants -- also called batch plants -- the following amendment to the operating regulations is added: "A development permit is required for a portable batch plant to be located on a property upon which an exempt use is located. Wet scrubber systems shall not be allowed through the permitting process for portable batch plants."
In a briefing note to council, administration said, in part: "Council's direction was to bring forward an amendment to define the minimum technology required for portable batch plants. Portable batch plants are regulated by Alberta Environment under the Code of Practice for Asphalt Paving Plants and currently allow for the use of wet scrubbers to control particulate emissions, known as ëwet scrubber systems.' The use of newer technology known as ëbaghouse systems' reduces the particulate emissions when compared to wet scrubber systems."
Regarding burning provisions in the operating regulations, councillors approved the following wording amendment: "There shall be no burning on site at any time except when burning vegetation as a result of site preparation within the area zoned Aggregate Extraction District."
Regarding progressive reclamation of pits, council added the following wording to the compliance provisions:
"Within 12 months from the date bylaw No. 02/17 comes into effect and thereafter every five years administration shall review compliance with all the operating regulations.
"In addition and as part of the administrative compliance review, the applicant, landowners and/or operator shall submit to administration an up-to-date activities plan with a site plan containing the following information: total pit area; active pit area; reclaimed area, and certified area from the registration with Alberta Environment."
In a briefing note to council regarding the compliance provisions, administration said, in part: "Administration's position is that if these pits expand beyond the areas zoned with this project it will trigger the opportunity for the county to review open pit area as a new redesignation and development permit will be required.
"Administration suggests a process similar to the five year registration report review that Alberta Environment requires within the Code of Practice for Pits. The suggestion would be to add an additional operating regulation to encourage progressive reclamation and commit the landowner/operator and administration to review the pit for compliance.
"This will be complementary to the Alberta Environment process and will be in consultation with Alberta Environment to ensure the information submitted is in conformance with their provincial registration."
As part of the existing active gravel pit project, on June 23 councillors passed motions changing the zoning of 31 gravel pits in the municipality from agriculture district to aggregate extraction/processing district.
"The whole idea was to try to get consistent zoning right across the 31 pits as a start, and then to approve operating regulations that will apply to some of those pits that were operating outside of the development permits or outside or didn't have Alberta Environment approval," said Reeve Bruce Beattie.
"We are trying to get some consistency across the county, making sure that the public knows that these pits are supposed to operate in a certain way and the operators all know they are supposed to operate in a certain way."
Coun. Al Kemmere did not take part in the June 20, 21 and 23 public hearing and could therefore not vote on the amendments considered on June 28.
All other councillors voted for the amendments.
"We are trying to get some consistency across the county, making sure that the public knows that these pits are supposed to operate in a certain way and the operators all know they are supposed to operate in a certain way."Reeve Bruce Beattie
