Delta council gave preliminary approval to a tax exemption bylaw last week that will enable the municipality to provide property tax reductions to encourage the remediation and redevelopment of former landfill sites.
The bylaw applies to the former Delta Shake and Shingle demolition landfill on River Road that council recently agreed to hand over to a private firm for a dollar.
A staff report notes a number of B.C. municipalities have such bylaws in place to help revitalize downtown or commercial cores, however, they can also be used to promote the development of brownfield (contaminated or derelict) sites, including landfills.
"Delta is home to several former (demolition) landfill sites, all located on River Road between Tilbury and Nordel... These sites, which were permitted by the provincial government during the 1980s and 1990s, were poorly regulated and were never properly closed, meaning they have not been capped and do not have landfill gas and leachate management systems in place," the report states. "As a result, these properties have remained derelict and, in addition to the ongoing environmental impacts, they have contributed to the slow commercial development in the surrounding areas."
The new bylaw would allow Delta to provide property tax exemptions as an incentive to encourage environmental and economic revitalization of the sites, having them cleaned-up and redeveloped into viable commercial and industrial properties.
A large area of the old Delta Shake and Shingle landfill was acquired by Delta through a tax default a number of years ago. Delta had unsuccessfully tried to sell the property and even pitched it as a location for a new provincial jail.
A previous report to council noted, "The closure and re-development of the former Delta Shake and Shingle site is a challenging, long-term proposition that involves a considerable financial commitment as well as the assumption of various environmental risks and liabilities."
The site in the 8900block of River Way and 9000-block of River Road has been inactive since a major fire burned there for 10 weeks in 1999, prompting Delta to declare a state of emergency.
Ocean Trailer, a Coquitlam-based trailer and container business that has an adjacent facility on River Road, will assume responsibility for the closure and clean up the property. The company was also given a break on development cost charges and property tax incentives.
All the demolition landfills on River Road are now closed.
