More shenanigans at the air park site; this situation bounces from tragedy to comedy; only to become a farce.

News 100 redBy Pepper Parr

May 17, 2014

BURLINGTON, ON.

It just goes on and on.

During the consistent rain last week there was a lot of run off on portions of Appleby Line.  Want to guess which parts of that road were flooded?  Just past the south gate of the air park.  City engineers visited the site, took photographs but then had to pass the file along to the Regional government – Appleby Line is a Regional Road.  Residents along that road want to know who is going to pay for the clean-up.

In the libel notice legal counsel for the Air Park sent to members of the Rural Burlington Greenbelt Coalition (RBGC) they said: “No neighbours have suffered excessive run-off or silted wells as a result of any activity of the Airport.”   That letter was sent to the RBGC after the rain.

Airpark aerial used by the city

The graphic shows the extent of the air park properties. There is a second runway that is not easily seen in this picture.

Now the residents learn that King Paving is working on the air park property.  One resident commented:  I think its concerning that the Airpark will not submit to the Site Alteration Bylaw as ruled by Justice Miller, but plans to continue work on the runway/taxiway.  How can Mr. Rossi ‘cherry pick’ which parts of the ruling can apply?  I think the City needs to be pressured to continue to enforce the stop work order unless Rossi is complying with ALL parts of the ruling.”

Another resident asked:  “How is it that Rossi is allowed to appeal Miller’s ruling, whilst selectively complying only with the parts he likes of it.  How wrong is that?! “

 The city has an injunction in place and residents wonder: “what does the City’s injunction enforce?  Doesn’t it allow him to work on his main runway/taxiway (and to only bring in asphalt grindings)?

As well they want to know:

1) exactly what type of work?

2) what equipment will be used?

3) what materials will be used and how/when will it be transported to the site?

Heavy equipment - View 2 from backyard June 15, 2013

Residents want to know if equipment like this is going to be parked a stones throw from their kitchen windows while upgrades to a runway are done.

5) what is the start date?

6) what is the completion date?

7) what will be done to mitigate the dust, dirt and noise for the neighbors?

The city’s engineering department will be inspecting this work to “ensure compliance with good engineering practices and respect to the local residents.”

Vince Rossi, president of the Burlington Executive Air PArk and beleived to be the sole shareholder of the private company, met with north Burlington residents.  He took all the comments made "under advisement"..

Vince Rossi, president of the Burlington Executive Air Park and believed to be the sole shareholder of the private company, met with north Burlington residents,  took all the comments made “under advisement” and then found himself in court where he learned he did indeed have to comply with a city bylaw.  He has appealed that decision.

One Appleby Line residents sets  out the situation very clearly:  “We agree that work at the airpark should remain at a standstill.  Vince Rossi has chosen to use the courts and nothing should happen until the next round of legal procedures is complete. Without a clear picture as to how the bylaws apply, and without a proper site plan and drainage plan, any work related to drainage can only be a short term fix.  It is not possible to hold a short meeting at the edge of the dirt cliff and quickly develop a repair plan for the drainage.  Drainage problems exist at all boundaries. The drainage plan must be carefully planned and Vince Rossi must accept the fact that the repairs will be costly.”

Cousins - north corner 1 showing culvert with stones

The pile of landfill, dumped on the airport property without a site bylaw plan, drains into neighbouring lands flooding fields that cannot be farmed.

“The airpark has direct access to the Bronte Creek watershed from its property. It does not have to rely on neighbouring properties to remove its water.  I certainly hope that the City of Burlington’s Engineering Department clearly comprehends the scope of this issue.”

It’s an ongoing battle for residents in the immediate area and of significant concern to all the residents of rural Burlington.  There is a water table at risk that cannot be fluffed of by the protestations of the air park owner and his legal counsel.  Citizens have seen what the protestations from oil line operators amounted to.  Once a water table is damaged – it take years to recover.  The citizens of Walkerton, Ontario learned that lesson the hard way.

They call this kind of thing libel chill.  Quite how the RBGC is going to get the Spectator to publish the apology the Air Park wants should be an interesting exercise.

It just goes on and on.

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3 comments to More shenanigans at the air park site; this situation bounces from tragedy to comedy; only to become a farce.

  • Stephanie Cooper-Smyth

    Another ‘quick fix’ by King Paving? That translates to another attempt to insult the intelligence of that community, as well as City Hall.

    Except this time, as I understand it, the citizens in Ward 6 (and not just the Ruralites) are NOT going to tolerate Vincenzo Rossi’s selfish and willful destruction of Burlington’s treasured countryside anymore.

    Get the popcorn…this is going to get interesting.

  • Glenda Dodd

    Thank you Pepper Parr for the continued post of the Burlington Gazette.
    I live downtown Burlington but find anything like this of concern to me, just as if I lived in the affected areas.
    I must admit in the past I have been a passive resident and now realize at age 70 that this was wrong.
    Is there any group or watch list that I can become a part of?
    I would gladly add my name to anything the residents are doing to force Mr.Rossi and the Air Park to follow all the rules.
    Just in passing, I hope there is a campaign to remove Blair Lancaster as the resident councillor…I feel this women is to familiar with Mr. Rossi and his ambitious aspirations for this Air Park, reads like she is in their pocket