BARRHEAD - County of Barrhead councillors unanimously approved a new Traffic Bylaw in three straight readings during their Dec. 3 meeting.
Councillors also repealed 11 bylaws that were either irrelevant or are included as part of the Traffic Bylaw.
County manager Debbie Oyarzun said administration felt the bylaw was necessary to address emerging issues, modernize existing bylaws, and give the municipality additional enforcement mechanisms.
She added that the bylaw also ensures the municipality complies with provincial legislation.
Oyarzun stated that the committee of the whole, reviewed the bylaw and recommended that it be brought to council for its consideration.
Community peace officer (CPO) Shae Guy said that the bylaw encapsulates what already exists in other bylaws, just updating the language, with a few exceptions.
One gives the county manager the authority to determine where traffic control devices, such as stop, yield, speed, and parking signs, are placed.
"It is an authority [the county manager] already has under the CPO bylaw, but we've added it to the Traffic Bylaw for clarity," Guy said.
Similarly, the bylaw specifically includes a section making it an offence to remove, deface, or otherwise damage or destroy a traffic control device, such as road signs, barricades, or markers.
The bylaw also adds a new off-highway vehicle (OHV) section, which provides specific requirements for operating the vehicle type in the county, including where and when it can occur.
Specifically, no one is allowed to operate an OHV on a municipal highway or within a non-agricultural district between 11 p.m. and 8 a.m.; prohibits the operation of an OHV past 30 km/h in a non-agricultural district; it also limits those operating an OHV in a non-agricultural district to use the most direct path to a trailhead or private property.
Again, Guy said, the section basically mirrors the old bylaw with updated language following provincial legislation.
Another addition to the bylaw is sections on parking and interfering with emergency equipment.
The bylaw also includes a section on littering, specifically dumping on highways and county property.
"We've had issues this spring and summer where people were dumping garbage and stuff into county ditches, so we added it to the bylaw to give us more teeth for enforcement."
The bylaw includes a section on the obstruction of highways without proper authorization.
"People putting up blockades, and the like, prohibiting travel," Guy said.
Deputy reeve Marvin Schatz asked if, under the bylaw, farmers would need to get permission from the municipality if they were moving cattle across a road.
Technically, Guy said yes, "We are concerned about cattle getting out and becoming a traffic hazard, but actual cattle moves that is not something the county is concerned with and would need to get permission for ... nor is it [that section's intent]."
Oyarzun interjected, saying the bylaw only impacts county roads, noting farmers moving cattle across a provincial highway need permission from Alberta Transportation, adding that if council wanted to build an exemption for moving livestock, it could easily be done.
"I think we should," Coun. Jared Stoik said.
He then asked for an amendment to add an exemption for the need to get authorization from the municipality for the "coordinated move of livestock".
Councillors approved the amendment.
To help protect road infrastructure, Guy said a section was added prohibiting the use of metal cleats on paved highways and a section that allows the municipality to limit truck traffic on county roads by using signage.
Miscellaneous offences under the bylaw include proceeding past a point designated by a police officer or firefighter, operating a vehicle where prohibited, creating a safety hazard on a highway and being drawn on a highway by a motor vehicle on items such as sleighs or skis.
Barry Kerton, TownandCountryToday.com
