The City of New Westminster will delve into discussions with developers about pile driving in the fall.
Last summer, downtown and Quayside residents complained about pile driving taking place at two sites in the area. City staff will consult with industry representatives on the new policy and/or bylaw amendments that would restrict the use of diesel-operated pile-driving equipment as a way of minimizing impacts on neighbours.
Carolyn Armanini, a planner with the City of New Westminster, said staff will consult with industry officials in the early fall about various pile driving technologies.
While some technologies may cost more, Coun. Chuck Puchmayr said the development industry is seeing its highest profit margins in years and needs to consider the quality of life of neighbours when building high-profit developments. He said Bosa Development will use a “quieter type of pile driving when it builds its Pier West development at 600 to 720 Quayside Dr. and believes other developers should follow suit.
A staff report states the city’s construction noise bylaw regulates the hours that construction noise is permitted, but it doesn’t specify the noise level restrictions or include specific regulations for pile driving activities or vibration construction.
“The City of Coquitlam is the only local municipality that has done research on restricting pile driving technology,” said a staff report. “Coquitlam determined not to proceed with regulating types of technology due to liability concerns if a developer’s consultant determined the best type of pile driving methodology, based on soil conditions, was one that was prohibited.”
Council has also directed staff to prepare amendments to the construction noise bylaw that would reduce the permitted hours of pile driving on Saturdays to between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. It’s currently permitted between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Saturdays.
Mary Trentadue questioned whether it could be pushed back the time to 10 a.m. on Saturdays.
“It just seems to me that 10 o’clock would be a reasonable time to start,” she said. “I just think it’s less onerous for people than 9 a.m., which can be pretty earlier for people on a weekend.”
Jackie Teed, the city’s acting director of development services, said staff will review whether a 10 a.m. start time on Saturday works.
