One Bradford West Gwillimbury resident is pleading with town council to do something about the bylaws for air conditioning units after she said one installed by her neighbour has caused her “significant health issues.”
Sharon Thompson said her neighbour installed an air conditioning unit a few steps away from several windows on the side of her house, and even with the windows closed, she can hear an “extremely sharp, piercing sound that is unrelenting” and increases her post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms.
Although she spoke at a public meeting to discuss potentially decreasing the side yard setbacks for the installation of air conditioning units, she said council must also deal with the noise the units create.
“I cannot escape the noise when I’m in my own front or backyard,” she said. “The impact from the noise is causing me significant health issues, which I don’t think is fair.”
Coun. Peter Ferragine suggested staff look into how many noise complaints the town receives about air conditioning units.
Coun. Raj Sandhu said he dealt with a similar issue years ago, when residents complained about vibrations from a home business that involved a “military-style gym” where people moved around large tires.
“It went on for months and months,” he said.
The town should consider adding a decibel threshold to its bylaw about air conditioning units, said Deputy Mayor James Leduc.
The noise coming from pool pumps should also be considered, added Coun. Peter Dykie Jr., noting he has received complaints about that.
“No residents should have to suffer because their neighbours put in air conditioning,” he said.
In terms of the side yard setback for air conditioning units, the town is considering changing its current bylaw to reduce the distance between units and property lines from 1.2 metres to 0.6 m.
This issue has been on council’s radar for several years after several local residents had to re-install their air conditioning units after the town’s enforcement officers got involved when some third-party contractors installed the units incorrectly under the town’s zoning bylaws.
In a staff report submitted to council, BWG Planner Brandon Slopack noted a “significant number of properties” would still be in violation of the rules, even with a change in bylaw, so he said one option is reducing it further to a 0 m setback.
To avoid property boundary disputes, town staff also suggested even a slight setback, instead of 0 m, would be appropriate.
“We want to change the zoning bylaw so we don’t cause undue stress,” said Mayor Rob Keffer.
Two residents who received notices of violation about their air conditioning units spoke at the meeting in favour of a decreased setback.
Angelo Colacci said he disagrees that a change is unfair because he and others had to re-install their air conditioning units.
“Change is progress, and progress is change. Currently, we are in the midst of the federal government legalizing marijuana on Oct. 17. Would one reject this law simply because previous violaters were charged and prosecuted?” he said. “This proposal is a change for the positive for all residents.”
BWG council does not meet again until Dec. 18, which is after the new council is sworn in following the municipal election.
Council is not expected to vote on a recommendation about air conditioning units until early 2019.
