The MD of Bighorn gave residents living on Jamieson and Richards roads some peace of mind, and peace and quiet, when it rejected a night log-hauling request from a Cochrane-based sawmill.
A handful of requested amendments appeared before MD council for the Spray Lake Sawmill (SLS) Road Use Agreement (RUA), Tuesday (Feb. 9).
Councillor Paul Clark, who has spoken against the RUA, wasn’t present.
Along with two other requests, SLS requested the amendment to the RUA to allow for some night hauling on roads near Ghost Lake to shorten the duration of the haul, likely with less traffic and colder temperatures to reduce the risk of road damage.
Council unanimously voted against the motion, though, siding with public concerns of increased truck hauling noise, headlight irritations, nocturnal wildlife concerns and previous concerns about the integrity of the residential roads.
Reeve Dene Cooper said he was surprised a request to haul over the weekends didn’t come before a night haul request.
The MD has the authority to determine speed limits and weight bans on the roads, but council doesn’t have the authority to reject any haul – which is ultimately under the control of the province.
With the RUA, SLS acknowledges the terms and conditions, otherwise not in place, which includes a $60,000 security deposit expected to be paid to the MD by SLS for additional road maintenance.
Two additional amendment requests to the RUA from SLS were accepted by council.
The first was to extend expiration of the term from March 15 to 31, 2016 to ensure the 2015-16 haul is completed.
Councillor Paul Ryan was concerned with road damage in relation to frost, if after March 15 it warms up.
Administration’s lone RUA amendment request was to make a provision to allow MD administration to impose a weight restriction when there is less than one metre of frost in the ground.
Council unanimously passed the amendment.
“We’re adding an enforcement for protection of the roads,” said Ryan.
The final SLS amendment request will increase the frequency of log hauling trucks from a 20-minute headway to a 15-minute headway.
“This (amendment) is the least of the difficult decisions,” said Cooper. “A night haul would be worse. My purpose in supporting (the increased frequency) is we’re trying to get a haul to occur in two years opposed to four years … disturbing community for four years is way worse.”
Coun. Erik Butters voted against all three SLS amendment requests, saying the roads aren’t appropriate for the haul.
“The road isn’t adequate for the use intended, that’s my opinion,” said Butters.
