Heather Wright/The Independent

Lambton County planning officials are recommending county councillors turn down a high-rise development next to Cargill’s grain docks in Sarnia’s Harbour.

Tricar Developments wants to build a 14-storey apartment on the former Stokes By the Bay property.

Sarnia City council approved the plan in May but Cargill has been using every weapon in its arsenal to stop the development, fearing noise complaints from new residents would lead to the closure of the facility which handles 35 per cent of Ontario’s grain shipments.

Cargill has championed its concerns with online ads, speaking at local service clubs and most recently, bringing in Ontario Agriculture Trevor Jones, to make the case against the development.

Cargill has also appealed to the Minister of Municipal Affairs to block the development with a Ministerial Zoning Order. Ironically, the provincial tool is normally used to approve developments, particularly housing, which has been turned down by local councils.

Wednesday, officials from Cargill, Tricar, and several farm organizations are set to try to sway council to their line of thinking before councillors vote on the development.

A report from the planning department sides with Cargill. It says allowing new residential development where no housing doesn’t already exist and placing it closer than the 300 metre minimum setback distance “is not consistent with the required ‘avoidance first’ approach to protect regionally and provincially significant industrial development.”

Planners also questioned changing the noise restriction rules to a Class 4 use. That allows residential developments in noisy urban areas without forcing nearby businesses to comply with the regulations. The move places more onus on the developer to make sure the building is sound proof.