Georgian Hills Vineyard has expressed concerns that ongoing noise complaints about its events are hurting the bottom line.
Vineyard owners Robert Ketchin and John Ardiel both spoke at The Blue Mountains council’s committee of the whole meeting on Feb. 5 about ongoing noise concerns about their business that have been raised by neighbours and reported to council.
Peter Franklyn, a neighbouring resident who has been vocal in expressing noise concerns about the vineyard also spoke to council at the meeting.
The vineyard hosts weddings and other events at its location at Grey County Road 2 and Sideroad 21 and over the past year, noise-related complaints have arisen about the events.
Ketchin said the vineyard has taken a number of steps to address the concerns about noise and takes the issue very seriously. He also said the situation is having an impact on business.
Ketchin said wedding bookings at the Vineyard have dropped by 38 per cent over the past year, as potential clients are worried about the uncertainty of whether or not a noise bylaw exemption for their wedding would be allowed by the town.
The town’s bylaw requires event noise to cease at 11 p.m., unless council grants an exemption.
“They do not want to stop their wedding at 11 p.m. and ask their guests to leave,” he told council. “We’ve had no bookings since last May. It’s all due to uncertainty on sound bylaw exemptions.”
Last year, council granted multiple exemptions for weddings to continue until midnight.
Ketchin told council the most recent concerns from Franklyn about noise from the vineyard were surprising. He said he has personally met with immediate neighbours to discuss the situation.
“They say they hear our weddings from time to time, depending on wind direction or still air, however, they have no complaint, and support that we have events that bring people and prosperity to the region,” he said in his presentation to council.
Coun. June Porter asked town staff if any formal noise complaints had been made about the vineyard. Ryan Gibbons, director of community services, said has not received any formal complaints. However, he did clarify that the town had asked that any concerns about noise be directed to staff at the vineyard to be dealt with immediately.
Ardiel said the loss of income from wedding bookings would be devastating for the vineyard.
“I can potentially see Georgian Hills going away. If we lose the wedding income, the rest of it is pretty slim,” said Ardiel. “The economy isn’t going in the right direction right now.”
In his comments to council, Franklyn said the work by the vineyard to address the noise issues have not been successful.
“Those efforts have not been effective and the problem continues,” he said.
Council did not take any action on the matter except to receive Ketchin’s presentation for information. Both Franklyn and Ardiel spoke during the public comment portion of the meeting.
