A delegation regarding noise from North Island College’s trades building was brought before Courtenay council Monday.Area resident Bev Skwernuik requested action from the City because she said the steps NIC has taken to reduce the noise have not worked and the sound study is flawed.”We have not yet seen action from the City into how they can remedy the situation either by enforcing bylaws or reviewing the building improvements by the college,” said Skwernuik. “This is a special situation. We are concerned that the college operates without scrutiny in this regard.”The trades building was completed last year, and residents have expressed concerns about noise since the education programs started, according to a City staff report.NIC hired acoustical engineers, Wakefield Acoustics, to test the noise and make recommendations in May. In the fall, NIC made some improvements including covering the north chain link wall with a signboard material, according to a letter from the college to City staff.Wakefield Acoustics retested in November, and reported reductions of 6-9 dBAI or 35 to 50 per cent reductions, according to the letter.Skwernuik said she sent a letter to the college in early January stating that the noise was still a problem for residents, and she said the college responded saying that no further action will be taken.She noted that one resident said the noise is now worse with the changes, and that it sounds like a “machine gun.”She also pointed out that according to the report, 16 students were actively working when tests were conducted in May, whereas only six to 10 were actively working during the testing in November.She said she wants the work area fully enclosed and the City to implement new legislation for closer monitoring of the college for possible expansion in the future.”We would like to have some form of legislation adopted which allows the City to have some ability to regulate and oversee the design and construction (of further noise barriers), and development plans of the college,” said Skwernuik.She also requested that the council improve how noise complaints are handled, and that more specific requirements be implemented regarding permitted land use by institutions.Skwernuik plans to hire another acoustical firm to review the report independently, for which she will pay $1000 out of her own pocket.She also sent out audio/video clips capturing the noise to councillors to show them what the sound is like for residents, and said she may make the clips public at some point.Coun. Doug Hillian said he listened to the audio/video clip and called the noise “intolerable.” He questioned what the City could do besides passing a resolution to continue monitoring the noise, and wanted to know whether the noise he heard in the clip was allowable within the noise bylaw. City manager of corporate administration John Ward called the issue complicated and said the City is still investigating.”I don’t have a clear answer for Coun. Hillian tonight as far as noise bylaw, we are still looking at it,” said Ward, adding that a report will come before council soon.Mayor Larry Jangula added that this particular issue is new for the City.”Generally speaking, we don’t have any provisions for it, exceptions in the bylaw, for construction at a college,” said Jangula. “It’s something we just have never run into before so it’s a rather new issue for us.”A motion was carried for the City to continue monitoring the noise related concerns of residents in the area.Another noise concern from the same area of the City was also discussed at Monday’s meeting; the City received a letter from the provincial ombudsperson regarding a noise complaint from a resident near Costco.The letter stated that the City was “not unreasonable” in how it handled the complaint, and “took reasonable steps to investigate the concerns.”Hillian called the letter a “good news and bad news story.” He said it was good news because the ombudsperson found the City acted accordingly, but bad news because the resident still had concerns.”As we all know some of those concerns continue to be in effect,” said Hillian.”It’s certainly a theme that we’ve seen in relation to a couple of developments and I think, again it relates to an earlier motion where we should be taking a look at our noise bylaws and the standard that is out there in other communities around the province and whether we’re doing as much as we can.”writer@comoxvalleyrecord.com

Comox Valley Record