Costco has implemented sound attenuation measures and is still working to reduce noise from its operations.
Courtenay council heard a report at Monday's meeting outlining measures the company has taken to reduce noise including: raising a sound attenuation wall from two meters to 3.6 metres along the northern property line in the area adjacent to the loading dock; and installing sound screening around its roof-top refrigerator.
A sound screening wall around the loading dock area, which will be connected to the existing building, is expected to be installed in mid-March to further reduce noise coming from the area.
"They've demonstrated to us 鈥� everything they do is trying to address the complaints that they have received," said Courtenay director of planning services Peter Crawford, adding that internal measures to reduce noise, such as keeping doors closed, have also been implemented.
Coun. Manno Theos questioned whether something could be done to reduce the noise generated by forklift use on the property.
City CAO Sandy Gray said City staff have been on site, and the noise from forklifts is minimal.
"You can hardly hear them. That's quite different from other commercial operations," explained Gray. "The ones at Costco are very, very quiet."
Last week, council received an investigation report from the provincial Ombudsperson's office regarding a residential complaint that the City was not enforcing its Nuisance and Disturbances Bylaw regarding noise. The case was closed because the report was not substantiated.
The report stated that the City was "not unreasonable" in how it handled noise complaints, and "took reasonable steps to investigate the concerns."
Mayor Larry Jangula called Costco a "good corporate citizen" because of how it handled the complaints from residents in the area.
"They have spent all kinds of money, and time and effort in basically trying to resolve this issue, and perhaps for some people it may never be resolved, and we have to accept the fact in life that sometimes you just can't make everyone happy," said Jangula.
