Knightdale — The town of Knightdale on Wednesday said no to clear-cutting and mass grading by developers in passing a new tree ordinance.

“We expect more of developers than clear-cutting and mass grading,” said Planning Director Mike Frangos to the council before the vote.

Councilman Jeff Eddins had asked if the ordinance was going to be more expensive for developers.

Frangos said he didn’t know, but, if approved, it would “just be the cost of doing business in Knightdale.”

He also said developers and citizens had input into the ordinance created by a subcommittee of the Land Use Review Board. The committee studied other towns' ordinances and looked at Knightdale’s needs for nine moths.

“We’re making a step to the forefront (in protecting trees) in Wake County,” Frangos said

Councilman Terry Gleason agreed and said the ordinance is designed to guarantee larger buffer areas where trees and foliage are required.

The new rule will make Knightdale’s landscape greener and shadier, and increase its beauty, Frangos said.

Mayor Russell Killen said “let’s step across this threshold,” just before the town voted unanimously to approve the measure.

In a 4-1 vote, the council also approved to change the time during which construction can be done in Knightdale. The board voted to set the hours Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. On Sunday, the time for construction will be from noon till 7 p.m. The limits apply within 500 feet of a home.

The measure had considerable discussion before the vote.

Town engineer Keith Gifford said after a test using a circular saw and a noise meter, the 500 feet distance was recommended by the engineering and planning committee.

At an earlier meeting, Councilman James Roberson suggested a compromise of ending construction at 5 p.m. on Sundays.

Gifford said he he polled citizens and developers about the proposal. He said he heard from six citizens, three of whom opposed Sunday construction and two who said they would not be bothered by it. He said of the 100 developers polled, he heard from 20, all of whom were opposed to limiting construction on weekends.

The new rule does not apply to residents who do the projects themselves.

Councilman Tim Poirier, who studied the proposal on the Engineering and Planning Committee, said construction workers they discussed the proposal with said limiting hours before 7 p.m. on Sunday would be a burden.

Mayor Killen said workers who have a second job in construction to add to their income also objected.

Roberson said it was frustrating to have to determine where noise is coming from and determine how to report it when residents are resting.

“I agree with James,” said Paula Gavasto of 418 Mingo Crest Dr. “If I’m working 12 to 15 hours a day, I should be able to have Sundays without noise.”

It was Gavasto who brought the issue to council.

Gavasto said enforcement also was a problem when she called police after hours and communications switched to Raleigh dispatchers.

Councilman Gleason said if she asked for a Knightdale dispatcher when she got 911, that dispatcher would send out a Knightdale officer.

Police Chief Ricky Pope said the department is working on making a noise violation a civil offense.

In other business:

• The town set a fee of $334,341 in lieu of assessment to the developer of the property adjacent to Crosstie Street.

• The council issued a temporary grading permit to the developer of the Brookshire Park Apartments. The 288-unit apartment complex is to be located north of Knightdale Boulevard at Smithfield Road behind the CVS drug store. Frangos told the board the developer planned road improvements but that a right-turn lane would end abruptly because of an undeveloped piece of a remnant of a Colonial Knighdale LLC tract. Mayor Killen said the roadway issue needed to be resolved and asked Frangos to set up a meeting with the property owner.