The municipality of Central Saanich has filed a notice of civil claim against Foundation Organics.
On Sept. 20, the municipality filed the claim in B.C. Supreme Court against Gordon James Rendle, Robert Roderick Rendle, Stanhope Dairy Farm Ltd. and Foundation Organics Ltd.
The notice of civil claim seeks a declaration that the composting facility located on Lochside Drive is in contravention of the municipality’s land use bylaws as well as an order requiring permanent cessation of using the property to produce compost for sale, an order requiring permanent cessation of using the property for the sorting of refuse and recyclables that cannot be composted and do not originate from the property, and finally, an order to prevent odours detectable by humans from escaping from the composting facility on the property by carrying out initial decomposition of organic matter in a closed reactor or vessel.
“The concerns of our community are being heard loudly,” said Mayor Alastair Bryson.
“We have been attempting to work with other agencies and government ministries to find a resolution to the ongoing composting facility issues. It appears our attempts to have the owners and operators comply with our land use bylaw have been unsuccessful and we are unfortunately left to seek court relief through the filing of our notice of civil claim.”
More than 150 residents showed up at the council meeting on Sept. 3 to express their concerns over the compositing facility which has been causing upset in the area for some time over odour, noise and truck traffic.
Along with the civil claim, members of Council also met with the Agricultural Land Commission and the Ministry of Environment during the Union of B.C. Municipalities convention held in Vancouver two weeks ago to discuss the on-going concerns with the facility.