Construction isn't giving Newmarket residents good vibrations

Residents encourage town to approve bylaw to set restrictions, procedures for vibrations caused by construction

Yorkregion.com
April 8, 2019
Teresa Latchford

Bob Hanson wants the town to set construction rules that would help protect his home and others from construction vibrations.

Hanson is a long-time resident of the Glenway area where redevelopment of the former golf course is well underway. Directly behind his Crossland Gate home is an anticipated construction site for the next phase of the development and he wants to ensure the vibrations caused by heavy site works like ground compacting and heavy machinery is monitored to reduce the chance of damage on his home.

“In 2018, there has been only one vibration monitoring device facing Alex Donor Drive and not the backs of our homes,” he said at a recent council meeting. “Pending the major site work, we would like to see more devices near our yards and request the town require these devices and that the results be shared with residents.”

He pointed out that Toronto has a bylaw with requirements surrounding vibrations caused by construction and the contract between the Town of Aurora and Highland Gate developers states letters must be sent to residents prior to construction and home assessments must be included at no cost to the residents.

Harrison Drive resident Gordon Prentice warned the town should not delay in setting bylaws that set restrictions and maximums for vibrations to help residents avoid the experience he and his neighbours had while the Canadian Martyrs Catholic Elementary School replaced its driveway last summer.

“There were huge shockwaves sent into our properties when they began compacting the soil,” he said. “Window panes were rattling, crockery was jumping about on tables and it was enough to crack the bricks and mortar on many homes.”

Correspondence he received from the York Catholic District School Board after filing a complaint reporting the damage advised him to make a claim through his insurance company. However, most major insurance companies don’t cover “earth movement” either natural or otherwise.

“It left the residents to pay for the damage repair out of their own pockets,” he said. “The bylaw is needed right away because other residents, like those in Glenway, are about to experience the same thing.”

Prentice did mention that the contract between the school board and construction company hired to redo the school’s driveway did state all contractors must comply with local bylaws, but in this case there currently aren’t any bylaws in Newmarket dealing with vibration caused by construction.

The town has received enough complaints about construction vibrations that it was a matter worth looking into, according to a recent report.

Town council was presented a staff report to consider stating impact of vibrations emanating from construction sites in or adjacent to residential areas has been identified as an issue that needs addressing. Following the review of vibration standards locally and internationally, town staff recommended a maximum vibration limit be put in place to mitigate the impact of excessive vibrations on nearby structures when they are anticipated from a construction site.

“Construction activities such as soil compacting, excavations, moving heavy machinery, etc., can cause ground-borne vibrations and where these activities are undertaken near existing developed areas,” according to the town’s geotechnical consulting engineer Soil Eng. “They can physically felt by people and minimal movement of structures can occur on neighbouring buildings.”

Council received the construction vibration staff report and voted in favour of requiring vibration impact assessments as part of a complete application for development proposals. Council also endorsed the proposed notice and complaint process outlined in the report.

 Town staff were also directed to investigate options for existing sites where construction activity will cause significant vibrations since the new bylaw would only apply to new development.

A report back to council on how to address potential vibrations from construction that has already had plans approved and permits issued by the town is expected to be brought back to council within the next two months.