Council for the Rural Municipality of Hanover has approved a conditional use order for a carpenter in the Mitchell area.

Albert Giesbrecht operates a home-based contracting business on his two-acre parcel located southwest of Mitchell. His business includes the construction of stairs in an existing shop off Road 30E and north of Road 35N.

Planning Manager Jeremy Neufeld told Council that recently the municipality received a noise complaint from a neighbour regarding activity on the property. Hanover's Bylaw Officer investigated and determined that Giesbrecht was constructing a lean-to, something not allowed without a permit. Neufeld says Giesbrecht came to the municipal office that same day to rectify the problem. 

Neufeld says since obtaining his home business permit, changes to the zoning bylaw have been made which would allow Giesbrecht more flexibility with operating his business. Giesbrecht was advised that he may want to consider applying for a conditional use order to take advantage of the changes.

Martin Schmid, who lives next door to Giesbrecht, says his concern is the noise coming from the shop in the early morning hours. In a letter to Council, Schmid noted being woken up at 6:30 many mornings to the sound of a telehandler loading stairs next door. 

"We have also contacted the RM of Hanover Bylaw Officer on multiple occasions with regards to the noise complaints of air nailers and saws constantly being used," wrote Schmid. "It is one thing to live beside a house that is being constructed for a period of four to six months but it is another to live beside a business where air nailers and saws are being used daily."

Schmid noted that the back overhead door is often left open, and that is why they can hear the noise of power tools. 

At last week's public hearing, Giesbrecht told Council that some stairs are being built outdoors because they are too long to handle inside the shop. He says the lean-to he is constructing is intended to cover his materials outdoors and that at this point he has no intentions of expanding his shop.

Following the public hearing, Councillor Bob Brandt made a motion that Giesbrecht be approved to operate his home-based business, but with a few conditions. Those conditions include the fact that all doors must remain closed during operation. However, it is understood that doors will need to be opened to receive and ship materials. The hours of business will be limited to Monday to Friday between 7 am and 5 pm. And, this conditional use order is limited to the existing building footprint and lean-to. Any further expansions require a new conditional use order.

Council was unanimous in approving the application.