An engineer from Bedford who claimed to be pro-environment in February faces charges for allegedly causing extensive damage to a large swathe in Upper Tantallon’s wetland.
Last September, a city official whistled about grading work and elevation work that was being done at 105 Westwood Blvd without a permit. Nova Scotia Environment and Climate Change inspector obtained a warrant to search site as no authorizations had been granted to alter wetlands.
According to Tracy Barron, who represents Nova Scotia Environment and Climate Change, the department has brought charges against Peter Beaini and his company (3308067 Nova Scotia Limited). The charges relate to the infilling a wetland in Upper Tantallon between Sept. 22 and December 6, 2021.
The charges include violating the Environment Act or regulations pursuant to Section 158 related wetland and watercourse alteration as well as contravening an inspector’s directive.
Beaini is due to appear June 30, at Halifax provincial court.
“I havent done any wrong”
In February, the Bedford engineer minimized the investigation.
Beaini, who had planned to build 20-unit senior housing on the site, spoke briefly Wednesday.
He said, “I haven’t done anything wrong.”
Pam Lovelace, Deputy Mayor, fears more wetlands could become damaged by developers who try to build more housing around the city.
Lovelace stated that right now, any piece of land can be purchased at any price to build any type of dwelling. We are in a housing crisis. Therefore, people who want to develop their property to make top dollar are moving forward with it regardless of whether they have permits. It’s a horrible brush for law-abiding developers.
She said that the regulations are followed by the latter.
Lovelace, who represents Hammonds PlainsSt. Margarets.
Residents in the area tipped her off last year about work at 105 Westwood Boulevard.
They said, Hey, we want the truth. Why is this road being built? Lovelace said.
She called the city’s planning staff to discuss the issue.
Planning staff went in to take a look. Lovelace stated, “This is not good.”
The city issued a stopwork order on the property on Sept. 21. A provincial environment inspector and a specialist in wetland visited the property the next day.
They also noticed a road was built on the site.
The F150 pickup was blocking the road, Derrick Peverill, an inspector from Nova Scotia Environment and Climate Change wrote in His application for a warrant to search this site.
Further inspection revealed large areas that had been disturbed and grading the property, along with large areas where exposed soils. Further inspection revealed large areas that were suspected to be wetland.
Peverill said that they observed soils, peat, large areas of standing waters more than a metre in depth, all of which are indicators of wetlands.
The inspector stated that trenches were found at several locations on the property in an apparent attempt to drain the water.
He also found plants that were indicative of a wetland. These plants included red maple, black spruce, alders and cotton grass, as well false holly.
Peverill stated that a wetland specialist in the province indicated that the affected areas were most likely wetland. Significant alteration had occurred at various locations on the property.
The property had large areas of exposed soils, which were not protected by sediment and erosion control measures. These areas contained steep cut banks and grades which could allow silt to enter both the property’s water courses and the remaining wetlands. The property appeared to have no efforts to control siltation at the time the inspection was conducted.
Five-member teams of provincial government experts collected measurements, soil samples, photos, and other information at the site during mid-November.
Some samples of wetland plant specimens were seized from the property, including lamb kill and leather leaf.
Lovelace stated that the city should have more authority to conduct such an investigation on its own and quicker.
She said the delay was horrible. We went through summer and fall, winter, and now we are in spring again, which was prime time for these habitats where there is breeding going.
Lovelace added that wetlands are also natural holding ponds for stormwater mitigation.
She said that if we remove this, we have more flooding risks.
