Opponents of plans to build an explosives plant in Nairn Centre will have their day in court next week.
Approved by town council in summer 2014, area residents appeal to the Ontario Municipal Board in an attempt to have the decision reversed.
The Sudbury-based Consbec Inc. facility would employ up to 12 people and the municipality's contract with Consbec also includes annual contribution of $18,000 a year that would help cover Nairn Centre's infrastructure needs.
About 20 people showed up to oppose the plan at the 2014 meeting, and 25 provided written submissions opposing the plan.
Specifically, opponents are asking the OMB to issue a Part II order, which would require a more intensive environmental review.
“If you feel that significant outstanding issues have not been addressed in a Class Environmental assessment process and could be better addressed through an individual environmental assessment process, you can ask for a higher level of assessment,” the OMB says on its website.
On the Nairn Centre Citizen Issues Facebook page, Raimo Koskiniemi outlines a number of objections, and disputes whether the decision is in the public interest.
“Where the report refers to the few persons that use this land and MNRF believes that the sale of Crown land is in the best interest of the people of Ontario is suggestive, misleading self-serving and inaccurate,” the post says. “Hundreds of people use the land for various reasons.”
Other concerns include a loss of the use of an access road, loss of hunting and recreational land, loss of access to three lakes and concerns that property values will fall.
“In addition to the loss of this pristine land to hundreds of campers and recreational users, it has a greater impact to the local economy because it takes away from the sole reason of visiting and becoming a home owner in the township of Nairn and Hyman,” the post says.
The hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. at the Nairn Community Centre. The meeting is open to the public.
