Homeowner fights province's demand to move his driveway down the road

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 BrodieBurke, 24, standing at the foot of his rural property on StrathconaRoad. He then gestured down the road at an entranceleading from the highway and across the ditch."Theywant me to move my driveway way down there."

Burke recentlybeganconstruction of his new home. The driveway he planned to use wasan old driveway that his family used for80 years to access their woodlot, according to Burke.And the province eveninstalled a new culvert under thatdriveway back in July after the old onecollapsed, hesaid.

It was only when he applied for a buildingpermit that the old driveway got thethumbs down.

The provinceordered himto move his drivewaydown the roadin order to meet sight distancerequirements. 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 metresshort of the 140 metre sight distance required by provincial regulations.

They're not listening to practicality- BrodieBurke

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."

Burkethinks the new driveway location is dangerous in comparisonto his preferred locationand 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 saidits decision is based on safety, according to a written statementto CBCNews.

Change of use from woodlot to residential

"Any new driveways must meet safe stopping distances regulations," reads the statement fromthe Departmentof 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 safesight linesfor drivers in order to meetsafe stopping distances regulations."

Burke saidhe continues to phone and send emails to government officials to get the decision reversed. The 24-year-old carpenter hopes to raise a familyin hisnew house.

"Everyone wants the young people to stay on the Island, and build here," said Burke. "Why do they gottamake it so difficult?"

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