Around three dozen residents of Eadie Road and Burton Road in North Russell are outraged over a planned expansion in the 417 Industrial Park between Embrun and Vars.
Both the Township of Russell and its upper tier county, the United Counties of Prescott and Russell (UCPR), have made plans to expand the existing industrial park right to the edge of Eadie Road. But some residents say that no notification has given to residents of Eadie Road or Burton Road whose rural homes would be surrounded by an industrial park, with large factories, strong lighting, heavy vehicle traffic, emissions, and industrial noise potentially only a few metres from their back doors.
Many of the homes and farms in the area are historic homes, which have been extensively renovated, or are new homes built at even higher costs. Residents are also concerned about some of the best farmland in the province.
Resident and spokesperson for the group Rhonda Bradley said she found out about the planned expansion only when survey stakes to mark a new road appeared right beside her house. She says that when she questioned the Township and UCPR, both staff and councilors put the blame on her and her neighbours for not paying attention. They said it is up to residents to monitor the official websites and notice land use changes. She asks how she was supposed to know that, and wonders how many other land use changes are planned but kept under the radar. In her opinion, the Township deliberately did not inform these residents, and she cites a Russell Township meeting in which the planner informs Council that landowners and homeowners along there present a risk to Township plans.
She also notes many errors in a series of reports and plans paid to consultants by the township, including designating properties as having little or no agricultural value, without the consultant talking to the owners of the land and barns identified.
Russell Township staff told CJRO that more consultation could have been done but stated they were not required to give any more notice than they did, which was a notice on the russell.ca website. This was confirmed by the UCPR its upper tier municipality, which created the new Official Plan of the County.
CJRO is following this ongoing story and will be reporting further.
Here is Bradley's conversation with CJRO:
