PORT Metro Vancouver has given its blessing to a controversial $120-million expansion of Richardson International's grain terminal in Moodyville.
Richardson will now be able to build a new bank of 54-metre (17-storey) high silos stretching 172 metres (560 feet) from the east side of the existing ones - big enough to hold an additional 80,000 tonnes of grain and oilseeds.
Richardson is looking to increase the amount it exports to the growing Asian market.
"This is a significant investment in our business and the biggest investment in the Port of Vancouver in more than 20 years," said Curt Vossen, president and CEO of Richardson in a press release. "Through this project, we are creating jobs, supporting Port Metro Vancouver's vision to grow the port and ultimately helping to increase Canadian trade by remaining competitive and ensuring continued access to global markets for Prairie farmers."
Beleaguered Moodyville residents are greeting the news with dismay but not surprise.
"It's something that we highly suspected, as a neighbourhood, would happen," said Michael Binkley, a First Street resident. "We've done our best to approach our municipal, provincial and federal politicians to assist us in getting Richardson to change their decision and move their proposal to the south of their existing facility but it just appeared from the last eight months of behaviour of both Port Metro Vancouver and Richardson International that the neighbourhood is acceptable collateral damage and the big corporations trump the little guy."
Construction of the silos will result in "hundreds" of short-term jobs until the silos are complete in 2015 and full-time staff at Richardson will go up by another 40 to 50 positions thereafter, up from the existing 100, according to the company.
Richardson submitted its application to PMV's planning department last August, touching off public anger that the plans were never once mentioned by Richardson or Port Metro Vancouver in the almost-two years of public consultation on the Low Level Road expansion project.
Residents who live up the slope from Richardson had pleaded with the City of North Vancouver, Port Metro Vancouver and Richardson to change the expansion plans so they would not affect air quality, noise or viewscapes in Moodyville.
"Obviously we're disappointed they couldn't have located the grain silos to the south, but we have no authority in this area," said Mayor Darrell Mussatto. "The city also understands the need to have a strong, working port."
Richardson looked at the south side option, but determined it was not feasible as it would require reclaiming land and shutting down operations for at least two years while construction of the silos blocked the loading berth.
"That's simply not possible for our business. We are a constant provider and shipper of grains and oilseeds through Vancouver. Without that, it would be like plugging up a spout," said Tracy Shelton, Richardson's director of corporate communications.
As for the grievances of Moodyville residents, the company has strived - and will continue to strive - to work in consultation with its neigbours, Shelton said.
"We are very much committed to continuing to be a good neighbour. We're very cognizant of the issues the residents brought up. We are making a very concerted effort to mitigate any of the potential impacts on the community," Shelton said.
That amounts to new, quieter equipment aimed at having a net-zero increase in noise, a dust capture system and spending $250,000 to plant trees to replace ones removed along Low Level Road.
As for the loss of views, there is nothing the company can do. "We are operating on federal land in an industrial zone. Certainly our facility has been there for many, many years and it's a fully functioning port," Shelton said.
Now with their views due to be spoiled and their property values expected to plummet, Binkley and his neighbours are looking to abandon ship and hold onto some of their equity. A group of residents will be approaching city council to request rezoning of the area to allow commercial space and/or higher residential density.
"It's time for a change. This neighbourhood needs to adjust to this massive expansion on the part of the port. . . ." he said. "We understand that you can't own view but you sure as heck pay for it and when it's gone, your property value decreases."
The city is in the process of developing a new official community plan and the area could be ripe to be designated as a special study area, Mussatto indicated.
"I'm supportive of having a process. I'm really hopeful we can get something everybody supports in the neighbourhood," he said. "The area is impacted by the grain elevators, so I'd like to try to minimize the impact on them financially, and it's pretty close to Lower Lonsdale. It's the right place for a little bit more density."
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