Residents of Lyndhurst Park say dust from a neighbouring farm is causing some serious health problems for a number of seniors in the park.

They want council to take action against the farm owner under a section of the Municipal Act that deals with health and safety issues, Lyndhurst park spokesperson Bruce Collins said.

“Every time the wind blows, we can’t sit on our decks, go out for a walk or work in our gardens because of the dust,” Mr. Collins said.

The dust is so thick at times, he says, it gathers in drifts near doors and windows, as he showed photographs.

The dust is harmful, particularly for residents with breathing problems, he added.

“We’re finding it very hard to cope with this,” he said. “We’re not against farming.

“We came up here for the fresh air and we’re not getting it.”

The farm field has lain fallow for some time and the residents are hoping that a crop is planted, but the farmer is ignoring complaints, he said.

Staff will review the act and report back to council, CAO Stan Armstrong said.

The complaint is similar to calls Mayor Rob Grossi gets from residents complaining about the smell of manure from nearby farms, even though the farm operating long before the homes were constructed, the mayor said.

Planting crops on the farm in question may not be financially viable for the farmer, especially with the dry conditions over the past few years, Councillor Brad Smockum said.

“He isn’t leaving the field vacant to irritate people,” Mr. Smockum said.
 
“There’s no sense planting a crop if it isn’t going to come up.”

The farmer could put up a plastic construction barrier to keep the dust from blowing into the trailer park, Councillor Ken Hackenbrook suggested.

A Ministry of Agriculture spokesperson told council previously dust from a farm is a natural occurrence and there is nothing that can be done about it.

The issue falls under the Ministry of Agriculture’s Farming and Food Protection Act that protects farms from “nuisance complaints made by neighbours, provided they are following normal farm practices. No municipal bylaw applies to restrict a normal farm practice carried on as part of an agricultural operation”.

If the complaint is not resolved, neighbours or farmers can seek assistance from town’s agricultural advisory committee.

If further mediation is still needed, neighbours or farmers can call ministry’s information centre at 1-877-424-1300.
 
In an attempt to head off a hearing, staff will make arrangements for an engineer from the ministry to examine the facility and try to come up with a resolution.