County should pursue noise bylaw legislation

To the editor,

In Nova Scotia there are 24 municipalities with a rural component and all except four have noise or disruptive behaviour bylaws. Colchester is one of those four.

There have been requests for reinstatement of a noise bylaw in Colchester since 1999 when the bylaw was rescinded at the request of the RCMP.

In 2011, District 1 residents asked for a noise bylaw. Councillor Blair consulted with RCMP who said they would be able to enforce noise complaints with other legislation.

In February 2017 Councillor MacInnis asked for a noise bylaw on behalf of residents of District 9 who were bothered by late night noise. This matter was referred to Police Advisory Board in February 2017 but it does not seem to have been pursued.

Over the past several weeks West Earltown residents in District 7 have been faced with extremely loud noise from a motocross recently started within one kilometre of several households. RCMP were called but said they had no noise bylaw to enforce.

All residents of Colchester County face the risk of having an extremely loud and disruptive activity set up right in their neighbourhood.

Our county councillors have a duty to protect residents and there is an urgent need to create a noise bylaw similar to those in 20 other rural municipalities.

Peter Lavell,

West Earltown