
CVRD Area A Director Daniel Arbour cast the deciding vote for race car testing | George Le Masurier photo
CVRD directors approve racecar testing at Smit Field for one year by 2-1 vote
Race car testing will continue at Smit Field next to Nymph Falls Nature Park, at least for another season, after Comox Valley rural directors voted 2-1 in favor of a scaled down permit.
The Vanisle Airfield Society, an association of drag racing enthusiasts, had applied for a three-year temporary use permit to test and tune their cars over three days, three times during the summer season. CVRD staff, however, recommended directors approve only a one-year permit with other limiting conditions, such as a cap on 30 cars per event.
But when Director Daniel Arbour (Area A) appeared ready to vote against the staff recommendation based on neighborhood concerns, Director Edwin Grieve (Area C) proposed limiting the three test and tune events to a single day. Grieve chairs the electoral services commission.
READ MORE: Get in-depth background on this issue here
But society president Ken Peterson said a one-day event wasn’t workable for the effort it takes to set up timing and lighting equipment and for out-of-town race car owners to travel to the Comox Valley.
Arbour then moved to approve two two-day events on a one-year basis. He and Grieve outvoted Area B Director Arzeena Hamir who voted against approving a temporary use permit.
The vote came after three neighborhood residents urged directors to deny issuing a permit and society representatives and the Smit Field owners tried to assure directors they were attempting to minimize negative impacts and actively seeking to secure a permanent site elsewhere.
SPEAKERS OPPOSED
Ron Bridge, a Forbidden Plateau Road resident since 1975, said he moved to the area before the Smit Field aerodrome was established for a quieter environment and to be closer to nature. He was instrumental in the founding of Nymph Falls park.
Bridge said the testing of drag racing cars is incongruous with the neighborhood’s lifestyle values and out of place next to a nature park. He asked the directors to preserve an area with natural wonders.
Two other neighbors spoke against the testing of drag racing cars, including a woman who said she walks in the park every day, but can’t go out of her house on days of the events.
“There must be a quieter way to raise money for charity,” she said.
CAR OWNERS TRYING
The Vanisle Airfield Society was formed in 2015 after Smit Field owners Dan Annand and Kevin Greissel offered their concrete runway for the testing and tuning of drag racing cars.
They held several events in violation of Comox Valley Regional District zoning bylaws before neighbors complained. The regional district then prohibited future events until the rural directors approved a temporary use permit.
Tania Woodbeck, speaking on behalf of the society, said the group was a network of friends and relatives and would never become more than that.
But she admitted during questioning from Director Hamir that a previous “invitational” event had attracted drag racing fans who were not members of the association, and who had engaged in harassing social media posts.
“It was bullying, for sure,” Woodbeck said, adding that they weren’t members of the society. She promised directors that inviting non-members wouldn’t ever happen again.
Woodbeck said the society is trying to be good community neighbors by raising money for charities during lunchtime barbecues and purchasing carbon tax credits to offset their greenhouse gas emissions.
Peterson said the society is only looking for a temporary location to test and tune its cars. He said they are actively looking for a permanent site elsewhere.
ARBOUR CASTS KEY VOTE
Before the Dec. 9 vote, it was commonly known that Director Hamir would vote against approving a permit and that Director Grieve would vote in favor. That put Director Arbour from Hornby Island in the position of deciding the issue.
Arbour said it was a hard choice for him, because it’s a “delicate thing to bring people together.” He said both sides and the three elected officials had been offended by some of the comments made prior to the meeting.
He called a temporary use permit a privilege, not a right.
And he said neighborhood concerns were strong and persistent.
“When I hear that people say they might move (as a result of the noisy events), it indicates an emotional charge,” he said. “This is difficult for me because you get elected to make everyone happy.”
In making the motion to approve two two-day events, Arbour specified that if they apply for another temporary use permit next year, he’ll require more concrete evidence that the society is, in fact, actively looking for a permanent site.
It was a hint that he didn’t envision issuing temporary use permits repeatedly.
HAMIR OPPOSED
Area B Director Arzeena Hamir said many of the property owners didn’t “sign up” for a temporary use permit to allow drag racing cars in the neighborhood.
She responded to a comment made by property co-owner Kevin Greissel that he could use his property as he wished.
“No, you can’t,” Hamir said. “We have rules around zoning and uses to be good neighbors.”
She would vote against the motion, Hamir said, because the activity is not allowed under the zoning and it’s having a negative impact on neighbors. She also noted that carbon offsets were not meant as an excuse for burning fossil fuels but to transition away from them.
Hamir said she worried that approving the permit would send a signal that testing drag racing cars in rural residential zoning was okaty.
She praised the society for raising money for charity, and said she hoped that whichever way the vote went that they would continue the practice.
GRIEVE RAMBLES ON
Before turning the discussion over to directors Arbour and Hamir, Commission Chair Grieve went on a long, rambling speech that at times lectured on the principles of democracy and other times invoked images of terrorists or insurgents.
He started off stating that “we live in a world of polarization, so we have to peel off the harassment piece.” Neighbors who have complained say they have been harassed on social media.
Grieve went on to say that nobody has been harassed more than elected officials and told stories about Lower Mainland and Victoria area public officials who were bullied on social media. He said, “especially women” were targets of people hiding behind pseudonyms.
He called the opposing views on testing drag cars at Smit Field a “clash of cultures … so there’s diversity.”
Whether or not the temporary use permit request was the “thin edge of the wedge,” to more frequent and varied events at Smit Field, Grieve suggested “we test and tune the test and tune.”
Grieve said he didn’t see the activity growing into “some uguly event,” and that a compromise shouldn’t be an “insufferable imposition.”
Realizing he was speaking at length, Grieve said, “Allow me some latitude here, I am the chair.” He then told a story of a hesitant person standing up to speak at a public meeting as an example of “what democracy is.” He praised everyone for speaking their opinion.
“We don’t have people wearing armbands riding around in pickup trucks with machine guns mounted on them,” he said.
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I thought staff had advised the Directors that the event was illegal??? Does this mean that whenever someone wants to engage in illegal activity they can get a temporary permit from the CVRD if they appear to be Philanthropists? The rule of law is not meant to be arbitrary. His previous permit was temporary. Why reward him with another temporary permit? You just awarded someone for bad behaviour! This does not send a good message to our young people. Would you like this happening in your backyard, Daniel Arbour? I would suggest that if this was happening on Hornby or Denman, you would have voted against it. What makes you think that the concerns of these neighbours and those who oppose using gas guzzlers as toys, are less important than those who willfully break the law at their neighbours expense. This was an error in judgement on your part. Do you not understand the difference between right and wrong? I expected Grieve to go for the popular vote but not you. I thought you had more integrity. I hope everyone remembers the names of Grieve and Arbour next election.
Actually, staff had recommended approval of the 3 day Test and Tune. As for voting someone out of office because of one decision, this will assure that we never have anyone serving in elected office. There will always be someone who disagrees with any one decision. Personally I’m not a fan of drag racing but this seemed like a pretty fair compromise to me. Where I live we have an event every year with live music that goes on well into the early hours. I don’t enjoy having to use ear plugs to get to sleep but I can also appreciate how much fun the folks are having. I can be inconvenienced once a year for my neighbour’s enjoyment. We have to start living as a community, not a collection of opposing interest groups.
Diana
My name is Ken and I am the president of the V I A S
We the V I A S did not have a temporary permit as you are stating.
The CVRD knew what we were doing at smit airfield before we were asked to shut it down after residents complained about the noise after 3 events.
We started the society so we could get insurance.
This airfield is a fed. regulated airport which it can make noise 24/7/365 days a year.
All other noise is from 9AM to 9 PM, we do not come close to breaking that bylaw.
If you any other questions I would be happy to answer them.
Yes, Ken it would be helpful to get the website that details noise. I googled and there is a lot information. And it all pertains to noise as it relates to aircraft/airport noise. And several sites talk about airport noise and how it impacts surrounding neighbourhoods. And one site definitely talks about being a good neighbour. No mention of an airstrip being used for car racing on any of the sites that I looked at.
Your Smit airfield has this: https://skyvector.com/airport/CCS6/Courtenay-Smit-Field-Airport
And under Operations Data it states –
Airport Use: Prior Notice Required
Good evening Debbie
Port McNeill shuts down there paved air strip three times a year to hold drag racing.
If you look up drag car testing Campbell River airport, there was a study done on noise levels at the airport and how loud it was at 2.5 K away, this was done with one of the loudest and fastest car on the island.
If you can not find this info please let me know and I will get it for you.
You can contact me at kpeter719@gmail.com, I am more than willing to share any info you need as I have been involved in this sport since the mid 70’s.
Thanks Ken.
“This airfield is a fed. regulated airport which it can make noise 24/7/365 days a year.
All other noise is from 9AM to 9 PM,”
On Federal gov’t sites I was looking for these guidelines.
Wow.Young People are dying from poisoning from tainted illegal drugs and folks get upset about a bit of noise ? How does this “illegal” activity impact on others?
The crime of our Country is not a bit of noise, but the impunity from the law, when killing innocent Canadians with tainted drugs. Most are “young people” who do not get the message on the risk of taking illegal drugs. Who cares about this?
Thank You Mr. Arbour and Mr.Grieve for having some perspective on this issue.It is such a minor matter.