Penhold councillors held a lively debate on the first draft of the upgraded Traffic Bylaw and discussed feedback from an open house at their Nov. 10 meeting.
The tentative first draft document was opened for discussion, which ranged from the proposed truck route to idling concerns throughout the town.
“We aren't going to make everyone happy,” said Coun. Julia King of the suggested changes, which included adding Grey Street to the truck route and extending the Fleming Avenue section south.
Mayor Dennis Cooper's explanation of the proposed truck route generated more questions and forced a new definition of allowed pathways.
“The proposed truck route extends from Emma Street down along Fleming Avenue to Aberdeen Street and along Windsor Avenue with Lucina Street being the exit out to Highway 2A,” said Cooper. “We have designated parking zones along Fleming Avenue on the west side. Hawkridge Boulevard and Robinson Avenue are truck zones for deliveries to the commercial centre.”
Coun. King pointed out the status of Grey Street as not being part of the truck route, yet it provided a logical exit from the area.
“Have you ever seen a truck turn into Custom Bulk Services lot and turn around with a load of sand?” asked King. “I would suggest a traffic calming device, a concrete pie to direct traffic back along the truck route which should include the lower end of Fleming Avenue and Grey Street as a natural exit.”
A suggestion from Cooper to include Grey as part of the truck route drew agreement from the councillors and changed the route, as did a suggestion from Coun. Walsh to make the block between Emma and Lucina the only allowable overnight parking zone with permits.
Tricia Willis, corporate services manager for Penhold, added Myles Monea, owner of Custom Bulk Services, presently has a request into Red Deer County to stage his vehicles by the fertilizer plant in order to avoid problems his company and drivers have experienced.
“I think what we have here is a situation where (Myles) Monea's (Custom Bulk Services) clients can be loaded in as few as eight minutes while Pacific Sea Sand trucks take up to 40 minutes,” said Cooper. “It is a difference in loading systems.”
Coun. Kathy Sitter raised the topic of idling times and the smell of diesel fumes in neighbourhoods and alongside the truck route.
“Thirty minutes is too long to allow a truck to idle,” said Sitter. “I would suggest a shorter time of idling, as low as 10 minutes.”
Cooper pointed out the minimum idling time could not be 10 minutes as big rigs take time to pressure up and warm up. He suggested the 30-minute figure was reasonable.
Coun. Corey Kingsfield noted his neighbourhood is filled with big trucks, which idle during winter and cause a diesel odour and pollute the atmosphere.
“I think the bylaw should state that long idling should not be permitted in any area of town, along Fleming or in the residential areas,” added Kingsfield.
Administration brought up the City of Red Deer's Idling Bylaw, which limits idling to 10 minutes for city vehicles.
“I think that we have to create a bylaw that is simple and enforceable,” said Cooper. “How will we be able to tell if a vehicle has been idling for 10 or 40 minutes? The parking street along Windsor Avenue may be a solution to that.”
In addition to truck route changes and idling concerns, changes to traffic penalties were also discussed, which would be reflected in the second draft document to be posted on the town website upon completion.
“It is our hope that the public will take the time to look at the new document and come to the public hearing before the November 24 meeting on the Traffic Bylaw,” said Cooper. “If all is well, we will proceed with second and possibly third readings at that time.”
The proposed Traffic Bylaw will be available on the Town of Penhold website at www.townofpenhold.ca
Dennis Cooper
"I think what we have here is a situation where (Myles) Monea's (Custom Bulk Services) clients can be loaded in as few as eight minutes while Pacific Sea Sand trucks take up to 40 minutes," said Cooper. "It is a difference in loading systems."
