The mayor of St. Albert is putting noise reduction back on the agenda.
Mayor Nolan Crouse sent a notice of motion at the end of July. He’s planning on moving that, by Jan. 31, 2015, administration propose possible changes to the current noise attenuation policy and/or engineering standards to create lower noise levels in future developments along arterial roads, Ray Gibbon Drive and the CN rail line.
“What I’m looking at is to get in motion any possible changes,” Crouse said in an interview July 31. In addition to having administration look at changes for future developments, Crouse is planning on making a motion to have administration check the implications of potential changes for existing neighbourhoods, development plans and levies.
“I didn’t want us to just say ‘Well, I’m going to ignore everybody that’s currently living in St. Albert, this is only for future people,’” Crouse said.
Last April Crouse gave notice about a similar motion but it was not brought forward at the time. Now that he’s had time to get more research, he’s ready to go.
“It got to the top of my list because the most recent piece of research I was waiting for was the noise results of the St. Albert Trail brick wall. There was some noise data that just came out in the last month,” Crouse said.
Noise levels from busy roads and next to the tracks is an oft-heard citizen concern.
“There’s always a complaint about noise,” Crouse said.
On maps attached to his notice, the mayor highlighted some areas of concern, along Ray Gibbon Drive and the CN railway.
“Those are the noisy places,” he said of busy roads and railways.
Currently the city’s noise bylaw, which is from 2006, limits sounds heard in a residential district during the day to a maximum of 65 dBA, which stands for decibels measured on the “a” weighted scale.
Crouse’s motion would give city staff about 18 months to bring back possible changes to council.
