Leavitt Machinery will not be moving forward with their expansion plans.

On March 19, council voted 8-1 against a proposal from the equipment dealer to turn their 91原创 shop 鈥� one of nearly 30 locations in Western Canada and the United States 鈥� into an industrial office, training and maintenance facility.

Only Mayor Jack Froese was in favour.

At a public hearing in July 2017, neighbours who live near the facility at 24389 Fraser Hwy, told council to 鈥楲eavitt alone,鈥� citing concerns with noise, light pollution and the aquifer.

When the application came up for third reading in September, council referred it to staff to discuss restricting the uses to office and indoor training.

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Coun. Kim Richter asked what changes the proponent had made to the application since the referral.

Ramin Seifi, Township manager of engineering and community development, said Leavitt proposed to install a 2 metre high sound wall along the north and west sides of the property, and to make some operational amendments.

For most of council, those changes were not enough.

鈥淭he referral was very clear. It says to staff to discuss with the proponent restricting the uses to the office and indoor training. Now it鈥檚 difficult for me, because I am very much pro business, but this is an anomaly,鈥� said Coun. Bob Long.

鈥淚n my opinion, this doesn鈥檛 really address what we asked them for,鈥� Coun. Petrina Arnason added.

鈥淢y problem is that it鈥檚 not a good interface with the properties to the north. These are beautiful residential homes, and so I think what clearly was brought forward, from my recollection of the public hearing, is that people wanted to have the quiet enjoyment 鈥� of their property.鈥�

鈥淚 think a 2 metre high fence changed into a 2 metre high noise barrier wall is a step, but it鈥檚 not near far enough as to where it needs to go,鈥� said Coun. Blair Whitmarsh.

鈥淚 think it鈥檚 pretty clear that their business doesn鈥檛 fit there.鈥�

Coun. Angie Quaale noted that noise wasn鈥檛 the only concern brought up at the public hearing.

鈥淚t was also about the lights,鈥� she said.

鈥淚t鈥檚 unfortunate that 鈥� their only solution was this 2 metre sound mitigation.鈥�

Mayor Froese, however, had an alternative view.

鈥淩eally, if Leavitt leaves, it could be somebody else going in there that would have 24 hour use in that same property,鈥� he said.

鈥淚 think the proponent has taken some measures and heard council in that our concern was the noise, and the neighbour鈥檚 concern was the noise, and they鈥檝e done some work to mitigate that noise.鈥�

miranda@langleytimes.com
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