A noisy HVAC unit is causing some neighbours distress, but questions about who is responsible for quietness in town perhaps remain the loudest.
Two Westwinds residents, Lynda Grantham and Daisy Heisler, live on the south-facing side of the new residential building for seniors, which faces the neighbouring property, Shannon Falls Retirement Residence. Grantham and Heisler say the rooftop HVAC unit has been causing them distress, as the unit is noisy and operates throughout the day and night.
“When it fires up, it has this high-pitched whine and scream that really just gets in your brain,” said Grantham. “And it goes on for some time.”
“If it would happen once or twice a day, we could live with it,” said Heisler. “But it's non-stop.”
Grantham, Heisler, and a couple of others who have been affected by the noise at Westwinds have sent several letters and emails to local, provincial and federal government officials, local bylaw, and the company that operates Shannon Falls Retirement Residence, hoping that the issue can be resolved.
But, so far, it has not been resolved to a degree that has helped them enough, they say.
Some steps to reduce the noise
Park Place Seniors Living, the company that operates Shannon Falls, acknowledged that the unit could be noisy for some of the neighbours and has taken some steps to resolve the noise.
“This included conducting decibel readings at Westwinds and talking with residents about the complaints. We installed a fence with slats around the chiller which helped to reduce the noise. Further impediment to this area will impact air circulation for our residents,” wrote Lina Saba, the company’s senior director of brand communications and marketing, in an email to The Squamish Chief.
“The most recent report indicates noise levels were normal for this type of chiller. We then installed a new sound blanket on the unit. This also further reduced the decibel readings.”
But Saba also said the design of the Westwinds and its proximity to Shannon Falls is a contributing factor.
“It is unfortunate that the developer of Westwinds chose not to install air conditioning in a building for seniors. This means that residents need to open windows regularly. Open windows increase the impact of the noise from the chiller,” she wrote. “It is also unfortunate that the municipality chose to approve the building design, which is extremely close to Shannon Falls. Westwinds is also two stories higher than Shannon Falls. These factors all impact the amplification of the noise from the chiller.”
Opening in 2022, Westwinds was built with an influx of cash from the federal, provincial and municipal governments, just over $54 million in total, so each level of government has at least a financial stake in the residents that live there.
The Ministry of Health told The Chief in an email that it did receive a complaint about the noise at Shannon Falls as a possible public health concern and advised the person to follow up with Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH), as they watch over public health concerns in Squamish.
VCH says they have not received noise complaints about Shannon Falls, and the issue of noise falls under the jurisdiction of the District of Squamish.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Housing told The Chief it also advised Heisler to share her concerns with the District.
“The District of Squamish has bylaw authority to regulate issues like noise and air pollution and has enforcement processes to ensure that property owners are aware of their responsibilities to neighbours and the environment,” wrote a spokesperson for the Ministry of Housing in an email. “It is a local government’s role and responsibility to ensure their bylaws and processes (e.g., land use, building, noise etc.) conform both to principles of good practice and to all legal requirements.”
The District wrote to The Chief that it does have screening requirements for rooftop appliances in its zoning bylaw, but they were put in place in 2016 after Shannon Falls was built.
“Heating, cooling, and HVAC equipment now needs to be screened with a solid-walled structure that extends around all sides and to the highest point or above the top of the equipment to mitigate noise,” reads the email from the District.
“The District encourages residents to follow the Good Neighbour Guidelines, and try to resolve any issues directly with their neighbours,” the email continued, while also relaying bylaw complaints can be submitted to 604-815-5067 or squamish.ca/bylaw-complaint-process.
The District also said it will do its best to investigate and resolve bylaw complaints.
Face-to-face meeting with council a possibility
Ultimately, Heisler and Grantham still feel like the noise hasn’t been addressed. As such, the two are considering face-to-face meetings with council and the District.
“It’s about the only step we have [left] to take with council,” said Grantham.
They assembled a group of about 15 others for a small meeting on Nov. 27 to discuss noise pollution in Squamish. Grantham said she’s discussed the noise with approximately 50 neighbours as well.
The District told The Chief that, as with any regulatory bylaw, staff will examine the viability of bylaw amendments requested by the public.
Heisler and Grantham said they welcome other Squamish residents to join the group and discuss noise pollution and possible solutions. The group can be reached at [email protected] for more information.
