ALMA – An underground propane storage proposal is officially dead as the Local Planning and Appeal Tribunal (LPAT) case on the matter has been closed.
In a letter from the LPAT sent to the Township of Mapleton, the municipality that would have hosted the site, states applicant Core Fuels Ltd. has withdrawn their appeal on a Mapleton council decision to deny their proposal.
The proposal was to bury four propane tanks that would hold nearly one million litres in total at the Core Fuels location on Wellington Road 7 just outside of Alma.
Mapleton council unanimously voted against this at a September meeting citing an overwhelmingly negative response from nearby residents.
Alma residents formed the Concerned Citizens of Alma (CCA) as an opposition group to the development.
The group presented a petition opposed to the development with 210 signatures, representing nearly every household in Alma,
CCA were concerned over a possible explosion and the ability of the volunteer fire hall to respond to any issues and the proximity to a residential area as major reasons it would not be the right fit for the area.
Core Fuels later appealed the decision to LPAT with the first hearing scheduled for March 17.
This hearing has been cancelled because of the applicant withdrawal and the case is listed as closed on the LPAT website.
“We’re glad that the township has turned it down unanimously and we’re pleased to see it withdrawn from the LPAT,” said Amanda Reid, Alma resident and CCA spokesperson. “Am I happy that it is not going to go in our residential area? Yes absolutely.”
Reid noted that Core Fuels could still bring another proposal forward but underground bulk propane storage appeared to officially be squashed for Alma.
“I’m sure that during COVID it wouldn’t have been very fun anyways to have dealt with LPAT,” Reid said. “I do wish Core Fuels well in their business but I know our group is happy to know they have withdrawn their appeal.”
