Plans by a locally owned wood products company to build a major expansion at its North Shore location have divided nearby residents, many of whom say they don't want more industrial development near their rural homes.
Spearhead, which is located about 15 kilometres east of Nelson, has applied with the Regional District of Central Kootenay to rezone three residential lots to allow for construction of a 54,000 square-foot facility with the possibility of a further 6,400 square feet of office space and employee child care to be added in the future. The building would be constructed on two hectares of undeveloped land next to Spearhead's 3.9-hectare operation.
The company produces customizable, and often elaborate, wood structures for residential and commercial use. The new facility, Spearhead's owners say, will allow it to develop its own custom glue-laminated timber, also known as glulam, instead of purchasing it from outside the region.
Spearhead was founded by Ted Hall 35 years ago, and has been in its current location since 1998. The company is now run by Ted's sons Josh and Ben, both of whom were born in Nelson, and has 66 employees. If the expansion goes ahead, Spearhead estimates it will hire 65 more people.
“We are of this place, so to speak," says Josh Hall. "We grew up here. We're not an investment firm from Silicon Valley coming in and setting up shop, and then moving in 10 years. This is our roots.”
The RDCK says Spearhead has received 67 written submissions of support for the expansion by residents, businesses and institutions.
But there were also 28 submissions and a petition from 57 residents opposed to the proposal.
Linda Blair has lived across Highway 3 from Spearhead in the Crescent Beach Resort community for 50 years. Blair describes the small residential area, which borders Kokanee Creek Provincial Park, as a pristine location enjoyed by locals and tourists for its natural beauty and recreation.
That setting, Blair says, makes no sense as a home for industrial development. Blair's next-door neighbour is her son, who has told her he will move his family if the expansion is approved.
“This is a real intrusion into our community.”
No date has been set for RDCK board of directors to vote on Spearhead's application as well as on an amendment to Electoral Area F's Official Community Plan that would be required for the project to move forward. A staff report and recommendation is tentatively planned for the board's March meeting.
Water, possible contamination among top concerns
Water was the most pressing concern raised by community members at the final public consultation meeting Jan. 28.
Spearhead doesn't require water for its operations aside from personal employee uses such as washrooms. But its land is on top of Aquifer 1018, which is considered by Interior Health to be moderately vulnerable due to its shallow water table depth.
That aquifer may also discharge into Aquifer 994, which is south of the highway and extends into Kokanee Creek Provincial Park. Interior Health says Aquifer 994 is highly vulnerable because it has little natural protection against contaminates introduced at ground surface.
Both aquifers are local drinking water sources. Thirteen wells access Aquifer 1018, and another 13 tap into 994.
A groundwater assessment ordered by Interior Health concluded 1018 is productive enough to support new development. Although Spearhead will be forced to blast into bedrock during its proposed excavation, the report said water flow through that excavation is expected to be minimal to negligible.
Residents, however, say the report is incomplete.
The groundwater assessment only assumes the depth to 1018 is 1.5 metres below grade, which was criticized by Leonard Arcovio. He lives within 100 metres of the Spearhead site and says anyone driving on the highway toward Nelson can see ice forming on an exposed rock face just west of Starlight Road, where water is being discharged.
"The ground water is very shallow there…," he says. "Once you remove that ground, that overburden, that water has got to go somewhere.”
Others worry about the possibility chemicals will pollute the aquifers.
Glulam production, which is entirely indoors, relies on an adhesive that Spearhead says is rendered useless if it is exposed to air. The glue comes in a sealed container and is applied directly to the lumber by a machine.
Michel and Mariette St-Germain's property draws water from Aquifer 994. Michel said Interior Health's report considered the water volume but not quality. Any chemical spill that seeped into the aquifers, he suggested, would be disastrous.
“I'm not saying that the process is such that it will contaminate the water. I think there's a risk, either from coming from unforeseen accident, human error or spill into the land.”
Several residents cited a 2019 study of Shoreacres' aquifer, and argued it should have been Interior Health's standard for their own groundwater assessment.
"This is a clean water supply, and this aquifer is highly vulnerable," says Blair. "It goes all the way under Crescent Beach Resort and right out to Kokanee Park, as well where our salmon spawn.”
Noise, dust and traffic concerns were also raised at the public consultation meeting.
The RDCK has a noise control bylaw that prohibits any sound disturbing the public, but the bylaw does not specify what the noise should be limited to.
An independent study submitted to the RDCK also estimates the project's noise levels meet recommended day and nighttime requirements, but suggests site monitoring be introduced.
Ted Hall says its indoor production will mitigate noise and dust concerns. The development will also be 15 metres set back from the highway (the transportation ministry only requires a 4.5 metre setback) and Spearhead says no commercial vehicles will make use of the nearby Starlight Drive.
“I'm not sitting here saying there's zero impact," says Ted Hall. "I'm not sitting here saying if this was close to me, I wouldn't have questions, right? Of course. But the question is, are we responsible as a company, and are we responsive as a company?”
Residents fear for the future, Spearhead says it's here to stay
How Spearhead runs its business is less of a priority for neighbours who are more concerned about industrial encroachment on their rural homes.
Ursula Lowrey has lived on nearby Robertson Road with her family since 1986. She describes Spearhead as a good local employer, and knows people whose children grew up to become Spearhead employees.
But she wonders what might happen to Spearhead's land if the company were ever to be sold.
“If they did sell, once it’s rezoned, what's to say maybe a less friendly neighbour would move in there for industry, or it could sit vacant.”
Josh Hall says Spearhead has no plans to leave the area and takes pride in making the North Shore its home. The company sponsors a number of community organizations, and on the day of a visit by the Nelson Star two employees were being rewarded with signed hockey jerseys marking 20 years with Spearhead.
“We are committed to doing this because it's a long-term vision," says Josh Hall. "It's not about a cash grab in a way that a startup might approach how can you make as much money as fast as possible and then pull out. This is a generational business for us now.”
Industry in the area didn't begin with Spearhead. The company's home was previously used by a diesel mechanic, a drive-in movie theatre and a gravel pit. A storage facility also currently operates next door.
Murray Shunter has lived on Crescent View Drive above Spearhead's location for 33 years. He's a critic of the company's current footprint, which Shunter says shouldn't greet visitors near the entrance of Kokanee Creek Provincial Park. Spearhead, he says, should consider another location for its expansion that is already zoned for industrial use.
“There are areas that are designed for this that aren't going to infringe on parks and on people's housing, and I think that's where they need to go. I think that's a pretty clear decision when you compare it to what's going to happen if they expand here.”
Kalesnikoff Lumber was brought up several times, both at the public meeting and in interviews with the Nelson Star, as an example for what Spearhead should be considering.
Kalesnikoff has two mass timber sites located on Highway 3A between Castlegar and Nelson, and is currently building a new facility for modular housing construction near Castlegar's airport.
Spearhead argues splitting its operation up into different locations doesn't make sense for its company due to its low production volume. Josh Hall added the company doesn't want to fracture its team.
“We've got a feedback loop. Everyone is part of the same entity, and it allows us to take on complexity like this. Quite honestly no other fabricators in Canada really touch this type of work because it is so high risk and it is so complex.”
The Halls insist they are doing everything they can to meet residents' concerns in good faith.
The expanded operation, they say, will bring more jobs to locals during a moment in which B.C.'s economy is under threat from U.S. tariffs. Spearhead also has support from other local companies such as Harrop-Procter Community Forest, which supplies Spearhead with lumber.
“We don't want to polarize our community," says Josh Hall. "We don't want to have the impression of a bad neighbour. I think what we can contribute in a way is a more harmonious community where you have pockets of residential, pockets of commercial."
That's not good enough for Blair, who won't leave the area out of principle. Another empty residential lot, she says, could end up as more industry.
“Once it’s gone, this land is gone.”
