A regional district decision to allow a tow truck company to relocate to 1890 Sintich Road has some neighbouring residents ready to blow a gasket.
On July 21 the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George board of directors approved a three-year temporary industrial use permit for Ron's Towing to use the 2.5 hectare site located just off Highway 97 South, creating safety concerns.
At a public hearing held on June 28 nine other residents spoke against the proposal, with traffic, noise, risks of groundwater contamination arising as areas of concern.
"The distance from our front door to the proposed vehicle storage area is approximately 120 yards and to the maintenance shop is 140 yards," neighbour Don Earles said. "Many of the sounds, such as diesel engines revving... reverse indicators, snow removal equipment, large trucks gearing up and down... are some, but not all, of the industrial noises my family will be subjected to."
Earles said his children wait for the school bus on the corner and up to five school buses navigate the blind corner on the hill every day.
"As these buses travel up the blind hill, just before the driveway of 1890 Sintich Road, they will have little opportunity to stop should slow-moving trucks, perhaps with vehicles in tow, be entering or leaving that driveway," Earles said. "The hill has a culvert under it and freezes before the rest of the road. There are steep embankments 30-plus feet down each side, no sidewalks and a very narrow shoulder."
Area resident Shawn Bellamy said she's had close calls several times when the former residents pulled in or out of their driveway.
Tow trucks pulling in and out of the site on a regular basis increases the hazard significantly, she said.
"We don't have anything against the owners at all. But I told them, 'You don't live there, you don't understand the traffic flow,'" Bellamy said.
"The site they're looking at has a very high traffic flow. There is a steep grade at the site. With the hill and the corner it is not an ideal site."
In its present shape, the property has a house and shop on it. Ron's Towing, which is currently located on First Avenue and Boeing Road, plans to have an office, impound lot, parking and storage area on the site.
Bellamy is also concerned the decision may set a precedent and allow more industrial uses in rural neighbourhoods.
"We live in the area, we chose a rural lifestyle for a reason," she said.
Ron's Towing owners Norm and Sandy Clarke declined to comment. However, in a letter to the regional district, the Clarkes said they intend to respect their new neighbours.
"The plan for our operations has been carefully considered with the utmost of respect given to the residents of this area," they wrote. "With the buffers of treed areas, we do not expect our operations to be detrimental to the residents of the area."
According to the minutes of the public hearing, Sandra Clarke said the company is receiving its policies on noise and idling, and the company plans to maintain the property.
Regional district chairman Art Kaehn said it was clear some residents had concerns, but the board opted to give the company a chance to prove itself.
"Ron's Towing has conducted itself with a good track record. I think that was one of the main reasons," Kaehn said. "Basically they have three years to prove they're going to do what they say they'll do."
Once the three-year permit expires the company will have to extend the temporary permit, get a new three-year permit or rezone the property for industrial use.
