An application from a pair of local businesses for relocation has already spawned organized neighbourhood opposition.
The official community plan and rezoning change application from Timber West Mill Construction and CIF Construction is up for first reading on Monday night's city council agenda.
The two companies want to move from their current leased home on the Rolling Mix property to a spot about 100 metres south on Otway Road.
This would require rezoning 12.2 hectares of the nearly 30-hectare property for light industrial use.
A city report on the application describes Timber West's activities as fabrication of custom metal products for the mining and forestry sector, while CIF is a concrete contractor specializing in project management and quality control. It would be storing its equipment that it uses for off-site jobs.
A public meeting for neighbours was held Nov. 12, with about 45 people in attendance, according to a report from L&M Engineering.
But despite commitments from the companies to register covenants on the property restricting future uses, lot sizes and site coverage, 176 residents have signed a petition opposing the plan.
According to the petition, the residents of the Nechako River Valley (in the Cranbrook Hill or North Nechako neighbourhoods) are concerned about increases to noise.
Noise complaints raised during the public meeting were mostly directed to the other area users, such as Pitman Asphalt, Rolling Mix, the trains and Westbin, according to the L&M report on the event.
But the proposed relocation would move noise pollution closer to their homes, the petition said.
"The companies' proposals to limit noise, such as conducting some operations indoors and building an earthen berm, do not guarantee that there will be no increase in noise to the neighbourhoods," it said.
The move also increases nighttime light pollution, air pollution and traffic, said the petition.
But the volume of traffic is not expected to increase from its current amount, said the L&M report on the public meeting.
Residents have also registered concerns about the potential for new concrete or asphalt industrial tenants on the vacated property and the potential for TimberWest and CIF to lease a portion of their new property to other companies.
"This would further increase the number of industrial companies operating in close proximity to the neighbourhoods," the petition said.
If council approves first and second reading on Monday night, another public hearing on the rezoning will be held at a future council meeting.
