Plan for homes near ‘worst-smelling place’ stinks: Hamilton councillors

A plan for homes near an animal product processing plant hasn't passed the city's smell test.

Councillors rejected a proposal for 18 single-family homes just east of the Rothsay rendering plant on Highway 5 in Dundas.

It is like the worst-smelling place on the face of the Earth," Coun. John-Paul Danko told Monday's planning committee.

And I'm amazed that anybody would propose building a luxury country estate home subdivision right beside it."

After peer reviews of the developer's studies, city staff concluded approving homes within 300 metres of the plant, which breaks down animal byproducts for feed, fuel and fertilizers, would run afoul of provincial policy.

Stephen Fraser, a planning consultant for Zeina Homes, asked for more time to hash out the issues, noting the proposal has been in the works for about five years.

There's a differing of opinion" about the odour issue, Fraser said, but I do strongly believe that it warrants further dialogue."

Maple Leaf Foods Inc. sold the plant, which started operating in the 1950s as a family business, to Darling Ingredients Inc. in 2013.

In a letter to the city, Rothsay, which is a division of Darling, wrote that the plant is one of the largest animal rendering facilities in North America" and has more than 150 employees.

The plant has made significant financial investments in odour abatement systems," but even with these, the 24-hour operation still has the potential to have an odour profile," the company advised.

I know that that plant does have odour issues, but they're better than they used to be," Coun. Lloyd Ferguson said.

Teviah Moro is a reporter at The Spectator. tmoro@thespec.com