The District of Sechelt is taking steps to address a rising volume in noise disturbances coming into the municipality.
Coun. Adam Shepherd presented the matter at a Feb. 28 committee of the whole meeting and said that there are three main areas where the noise disturbances are most commonly reported.
The first issue relates to concerns raised in 2022 by the East Porpoise Bay Community Association following the use of leased equipment from local sand and gravel companies, causing what nearby residents called excessive noise.
The second source of rising noise complaints stems from seaplanes flying to and from the Porpoise Bay harbour.
Issue three is more recent, and came from West Sechelt, and relates to an exterior heat pump.
All of these issues hinge on one piece – that Sechelt has no decibel regulations included in its noise bylaw.
Cutting to the chase, Coun. Alton Toth asked staff if noise bylaws enacted by municipalities have jurisdictional authority over provincially regulated mining activity or the airspace above a community.
Andrew Yeates chief administrative officer said he did not believe they have the authority to do so, and that he would seek clarification on both questions.
Yeates said that he will create a tentative schedule of when the issue can be redressed but could not give a time estimate, saying, “Staff has a lot on their plate right now so reviewing a noise bylaw is not in the cards immediately.”
Coun. Brenda Rowe raised the point that without enforcement, this looks like “wasted work,” asking that the review answer that as well as addressing any equipment the district would need to purchase to monitor decibel levels.
Sechelt director of planning and development Andrew Allen spoke to the logistics of monitoring decibel levels. He explained that most noise bylaws are “written in the general sense of respecting disruption of calm and peace enjoyment rather than specific decibels” because it is extremely calculated, difficult to defend, expensive and difficult to monitor and enforce.
Speaking to the specific equipment required to monitor decibel levels, Allen said, “It is a specialised machine that requires an expense, training, calibration and extensive monitoring. It's not an easy solution.”
The committee moved that the noise bylaw be reviewed at a committee of the whole meeting, in consideration of concerns expressed by community members, was passed with Toth opposed.
Jordan Copp is the Coast Reporter’s civic and Indigenous affairs reporter. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.
