Homeowner fights province's demand to move his driveway down the road
Brodie Burke says the driveway entrance he's expected to use is dangerous
A man who's building a home on a rural property near St. Peters has a cautionary tale — about where the province will and won't allow driveways to be built.
"This is my driveway right here," said Brodie Burke, 24, standing at the foot of his rural property on Strathcona Road. He then gestured down the road at an entrance leading from the highway and across the ditch. "They want me to move my driveway way down there."
Burke recently began construction of his new home. The driveway he planned to use was an old driveway that his family used for 80 years to access their woodlot, according to Burke. And the province even installed a new culvert under that driveway back in July after the old one collapsed, he said.
It was only when he applied for a building permit that the old driveway got the thumbs down.
The province ordered him to move his driveway down the road in order to meet sight distance requirements. That's how far a driver coming down the road can see on coming hazards. Due to the hilly road, Burke's old driveway came up 15 metres short of the 140 metre sight distance required by provincial regulations.
They're not listening to practicality- Brodie Burke
Burke is angry over the decision.
"My driveway that I have now is perfectly straight. It comes in very nice," said Burke. "The new driveway that they want me to put in will be approximately 270 feet long. It is going to come in, do a 90 degree turn to the south, run up through my front lawn and then take a 90 degree turn to the west and go up to the end of my house."
Burke thinks the new driveway location is dangerous in comparison to his preferred location and he says it's going to make it more expensive and more difficult to finish building his house.
"They're not listening to practicality," said Burke.
The province said its decision is based on safety, according to a written statement to CBC News.
Change of use from woodlot to residential
"Any new driveways must meet safe stopping distances regulations," reads the statement from the Department of Transportation. "Any change of use of a property, such as changing a woodlot access to a residential driveway, also requires confirmation that the driveway location adheres to the safe stopping distances regulations."
"When the building permit was issued, we communicated with the owner that the driveway had to be re-located to ensure safe sight lines for drivers in order to meet safe stopping distances regulations."
Burke said he continues to phone and send emails to government officials to get the decision reversed. The 24-year-old carpenter hopes to raise a family in his new house.
"Everyone wants the young people to stay on the Island, and build here," said Burke. "Why do they gotta make it so difficult?"