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By Pete McIntyre
in Lavington

Application in for part of former glass plant site

Oct 30, 2019 | 1:40 PM

Another part of the former glass plant manufacturing site in Lavington is being targeted for industrial use.

Restoration Lands Inc. applied to exclude 1.3 acres from the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) near 5875 Learmouth Road as part of an eco-industrial park.

“The overall plan for the glass plant site includes a phased strata eco-industrial park. At this time, the subject property is not part of the development proposal because it is the only part located within the ALR. If the property were approved for exclusion, it would be easily integrated into the subdivision and development proposal,” Michelle Austin with the District of Coldstream’s development services wrote in a report to council.

Coldstream Mayor Jim Garlick said his council passed a motion to send the application onto the Agricultural Land Commission for a decision.

“The owner of Restoration Lands (Mike Molnar) is proceeding with a bare land strata industrial subdivision of the property,” Garlick told Vernon Matters.

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Mike and Sharon Molnar of Restoration Lands Inc. first announced plans for an eco-industrial park on former glass plant site on Oct. 5, 2016. (file photo/Vernon Matters)

Nick and Vi Alexis, who live on nearby Hill Drive, wrote to the District, seeking more information about Restoration Lands’ plan for the site.

They say they contacted Molnar in August to request a meeting to find out what was taking place on the
property, noting daily “scraping and stock piling of top soil.”

“With the magnitude of the “earth moving activity” that has been taking place since early August, it would appear to be indicative that a plan for the eco-park has been formulated. However, we have had no information whatsoever as to what the construction will look like. Will the businesses be retail or wholesale in nature?” the residents said in a letter to council.

The couple say they have “considerable concerns” about additional traffic on Hill Drive, and who will be policing that.

by Pete McIntyre
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