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Northland Material Handling
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% T/ R9 y" O, C$ f( g1 CA long time Parkland County business was left shut out and in the dark, February 14, after their request to amend working permits were rejected at the council meeting.
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Northland Material Handling Inc. operates a waste material handling facility in Parkland which also offers customers an extensive recycling program incorporating wood, asphalt shingles, concrete, drywall and metals of all kinds for diversion from the landfill.
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+ K! B- v" b$ g/ g7 hThe company's current development permits for landfill, sand and recycling operations at their location in Acheson Business Park expire Dec. 31, 2012.* F; z5 c$ c# ] }; E# N
0 K& H2 w& Z% F8 `* Z& @They requested council approve an amendment to the design plan and to extend the time to align with Alberta Environment approval to 2018.' ~% O& k8 M: g$ q/ \9 |
. x1 B1 P2 U9 z' M"Without these amendments we would not be able to develop the site for any future industrial use," said Northland president, Richard Caron.
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"We would not have the same advantage as other competing landfills with longer permits."' v& C. |) c& k6 a) X/ ]& e7 p
( s+ O5 e6 t) E# t" }3 e' [6 ~, IA competing company in the same area was granted permit approvals to 2015 and Northlands suggested the county was being unfair in not granting its application.
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, ~ Z+ k: l* d"With the reopening of the Cholla Landfill and Parkland County granting a height and time extension to June 2015, the Cholla Landfill received an unfair competitive advantage over Northland as the applicant was and still is unable to offer long term pricing and service options," stated in their presentation.
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They also said Northland has lost significant volume in the last five years due to the new competition as well as economic downturn, thus needing more time to fill holes.
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They also said they intended to, together with Alberta Environment, develop a multi-million dollar industrial green park during final reclamation.
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A lawyer for two adjoining property owners was in attendance to express their clients concerns regarding the continued requests for permit extensions since 1994./ {: E' @6 F0 E2 F. _0 G
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"They could have lived up to their commitments and left the plan as is," she said.8 Q& K0 [0 L6 x% W
' a" @- I* ^4 |4 O/ n"But they choose to go forward and continue seeking both an extension and an expansion."
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She added, her clients have intentions to develop their land in the future and they want the landfill gone and also expressed that her clients have been more than generous to their neighbours over the years but now felt "taken advantage of" by Northlands.& G+ _8 x* [, o) V* Y2 j
0 s0 }8 Q# R. `' qThere were also allegations and complaints of Northland's litter spilling over onto roads and near by property's from previous years.
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* D% Q) d7 M4 L3 w# E% y6 p0 hNorthlands6 `' j8 g; b' Q: N1 a
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"You should make the right decision for the county," said Northlands legal representative.
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6 x; M2 n/ ?' y& l8 t"I would suggest the application presented before you is grounded in excellent planning purposes."
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Several members of council expressed concerns over the intentions of the company.0 n" G' Z* ^+ C U
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"Every time you come forward that you get granted the extension, said Div. 5, Coun. Denise Locher.+ X3 Q% O& s% J2 u; U8 |! ^
. ~& ~0 S; O& b% S7 i3 \"I really have to say I don't know- where is it going to end? I don't see any commitment that it's going to be completed-I like to see conditions meet I'm not seeing that."
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Council also expressed the desire clean up the gateway between the city of Edmonton and the county, where Northland's sits near hwy 16, more welcoming and esthetically pleasing to the eye.0 K& z* M' l( z- ]* ]% `: N
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Div. 1, Coun. Jo Szady also had trouble believing this was not going to be the last request.
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"A permit to me is no diff than a contract-you're moving out by a certain date and you're supposed to move out," said Szady.
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7 f) [ B" g$ w"To me this is not different and that hasn't happened. What's to indicate that 2015 is going to come and that's it you say we're not going to hear from you? I don't get that impression. You're going to be back asking for 2018 or 2020."
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Div. 2, Coun. Diane Allen was in support of the development permit extension and stressed the county's reputation for a great area to do business and creating fair market competition.6 G/ \( ]7 ~+ R
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"This makes sense economically, business wise," said Allen.0 X( \/ a- q5 n7 }
( W3 X. l. v2 s& m$ j+ T"We need to demonstrate a fair, economic business climate. I appreciate all info that's been presented by both parties. It would make sense for fair equitable biz to continue."
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2 T$ w+ B3 D: u" R0 s( pCouncil voted against approving the permit five to two, with councilor Allen and Mayor Rod Shaigec in support., \6 a0 ]3 [) C# ~+ H2 ^* b! Z3 g4 \
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"I am extremely disappointed in this outcome," said Allen.: L6 o: X* ?1 a& P+ y3 `
2 x' J& ?# z8 j" j8 v/ sNorthland will be required to cease operations in Acheson Business Park as of December 31, 2012. |
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