Opposition from gas station owners and tenants has forced the Pierrefonds/Roxboro city council to delay the implementation of a bylaw that would have placed restrictions on gas stations from expanding to full-service mechanic operations. A handful of gas station owners showed up for a brief consultation before Monday’s regular council meeting to express their concerns. At last month’s council meeting borough mayor Monique Worth had expressed her concerns that noise and fumes generated by gas station owners doing repairs was a possible nuisance to nearby homes. The proposed bylaw applies to Zone CD — a commercial zone — previously permitted auto-repair shops adjacent to gas stations and car washes. No new permits will be issued and further consultation is scheduled for December 2007.

In another piece of council business handled Monday, a contract has been awarded to Construction Garnier for the development of a 20,000-square-foot retention basin in the Heritage-sur-le-lac project in western end of Pierrefonds. Total cost for the project is $2.6 million. Councillor Bert Ward said construction of the basin would alleviate drainage problems from nearby marshlands. “This will save the city $1.5 million,” he said. “Instead of needing 15 pipes draining into Rivière des Prairies, only one main one will be needed.” Construction is scheduled to begin this spring.

— Ian Howarth