(JENNIFER STAHN / iNFOnews.ca)

Kelowna city council has unanimously agreed to changes to the construction noise bylaw but they don't go as far as the original proposal from city staff.

The current bylaw allows construction noise from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. from Monday to Sunday, including holidays.

At a meeting on Monday, July 8, council disagreed with a recommendation from the development industry to keep the hours 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays but adjust the hours to 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends and holidays.

City staff provided the mayor and councillors with a third option. They proposed the weekday hours stay the same as the original bylaw but change the construction hours to 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and holidays, and 8 a.m to 4 p.m. on Sundays for an extra hour of quiet during the morning.

“With all the feedback we got from the construction industry, I’ve become convinced that this is a win in the sense that we’re reviewing these policies but it does not disrupt our construction industry so much so that they can’t get the job done," councillor Luke Stack said during the meeting.

The development industry wanted to ensure construction employees get the hours they want to work, especially if they're travelling for the position. As a result the construction companies can apply for variants so it can manage the workers' hours and work what is necessary.

“I don’t want to see us getting in the way of construction... this is some change that’s giving some folks some reprieve,” councillor Loyal Wooldridge said.

Councillor Maxine DeHart wanted to emphasize the city’s need to ensure the new bylaw will be followed.

“In any industry there are some bad dudes, whether they follow the rules or not... I think we really have to watch that and if we get a complaint we have to act on it. In any industry no matter what, some follow the rules and some don’t,” Coun. DeHart said.

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