Meaford council is requesting a report detailing current by-laws on noise, air and water pollution.
During a meeting on Nov. 7, council received a motion for decision from Coun. Steven Bartley.
The motion recommended looking into current by-laws as council has been receiving comments from residents regarding noise, and the potential for air and water pollution related to the growth in construction, tourism and population.
The report will also include a summary of federal and provincial related legislation or regulations.
Bartley says the goal of the report is to understand what by-laws are in place to address noise as well as possible pollution.
“What I have asked staff to do is bring a report forward that would let us know how we are covered. What by-laws are on the book through the planning depart and/or the by-law department, and both provincially and federally, so we know where we stand,” says Bartley. “I just want a report on where we stand and how we control some of the things that could harm us.”
Coun. Harley Greenfield proposed to also add light pollution to the report as well.
Coun. Paul Vickers says he agrees with receiving a report to understand which by-laws are in place, but also voiced some concerns.
“I hope this isn’t heading down the gofer hole of being weaponized and all of the sudden, if you don’t like something that your neighbour is doing like building a house beside yours, then you start phoning by-law, or if there is a development down by the harbour that is starting to get built, all of the sudden people start to weaponize this,” says Vickers. “I can foresee that if something like this does happen, then all of the sudden by-law will get sucked into this, we will end up having to have more by-laws and it just goes down from there.”
