County to consider new local transport regulations

By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Wheatland County is debating the consolidation of a local policy into a revised bylaw in order to better enforce rules and regulations relating to local transport. 

County administration was directed, March 16, by the Committee of the Whole, to prepare a draft of a consolidated Motor Transport Bylaw, as well as revisions to policy regarding non-agricultural hauling for council’s later consideration.

“Currently, the motor transport bylaw only pertains to overweight and over dimensional vehicle permitting,” said Cody Zimmerman, manager of operations. “We feel this would be the ideal place to consolidate everything related to commercial transport into one bylaw as opposed to having overlapping bylaws and avoiding any kinds of conflicts or contradictions.”

Zimmerman explained what administration is aiming for is to add road use provisions into a functional bylaw, as there is currently no enforceable mechanism to govern those performing intensive hauling. 

“When we get these companies coming in and they are destroying a road, if we do not have a development permit on them to force them into a road use agreement, we just say ‘can you please stop hauling, you are destroying our road,’” he explained. 

The county’s current policies do not prevent any company from simply declining to follow the county’s requests and regulations, nor can they be ticketed by the county for doing so.

Current documentation also does not clearly define what classifies as intensive hauling. Instead, the current policy uses a definition from an out-of-date dust control policy. 

“We are also looking to add provisions related to the establishment and designation of truck routes and non-truck routes, and that is just with all the development we have going on in the county – looking at how these developments are going to impact residential areas around them,” said Zimmerman. “We want traffic to be where we are spending the money and then not impacting the residents negatively as much as possible.”

He added the new bylaw would also aim to establish guidelines regarding the prohibition of engine retarder brakes. These types of prohibitions are common in areas that fall close to residential areas due to the noise generated by vehicles equipped with engine brakes. 

Reeve Scott Klassen noted his desire to see such updates implemented, having received many related complaints from ratepayers in his division. 

“This is much needed. I have had lots of intensive hauling in my area with soils and stuff coming in … landowners have phoned me and we (need) to update this,” he said. 

It was also clarified during the meeting that agricultural transport vehicles are often exempt from requiring permits regarding engine retarder brakes due to the time sensitive nature of their hauling.