POULSBO — Even though construction of the Olhava Wal-Mart continues to move at a rapid pace, contractors asked the city council for more time to work on the project.

The city only allows construction work from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. unless a variance is granted by the council, and Trip Griffin and Brad Larson from CSI Contractors brought that request to the elected body Aug. 3.

“We’re here to request a variance to the work ordinance, because we’re getting ready to do some interior slab pour operations,” Griffin told the council.

Because of the uniqueness of the pour, workers could be going 15 to 20 hours a day to ensure the pour is done correctly and up to the standards set by Wal-Mart for the project, he explained.

“We’ve always been able to work with cities to get a variance and the work will be solely inside the building,” Griffin said.

Because the retail giant has decided not to cover the slab with tile, extra care is required to ensure it doesn’t crack or have other structural issues, he explained.

However, the work should not generate any additional noise that will be heard in the surrounding residential area, Griffin assured the council, explaining that he had taken decibel readings during the first interior pour.

“It was 71 decibels inside the building and at the property line it was 46 decibels,” he said.

Public Works Director Jeff Lincoln interjected that the decibel readings at the Kitsap Transit bus stop near the public works building average about 70 decibels.

Councilwoman Kathryn Quade said she felt midnight would be an appropriate stop-work time and asked that the contractor be required to notify neighbors in the area.

“There are a number of houses behind the trees and they have complained,” Quade said. “You can put out a flyer or you can knock on doors.”

Griffin said the contractor would be willing to do whatever the council required and noted that all of the concrete trucks would be out of the area before 7 p.m.

“I would ask that you be required to put out public notice so everyone will know and that the city be given a copy as well,” Quade remarked.

After amending the original motion granting the variance by Councilman Mike Regis to include the public notice provision, the variance was unanimously granted by the council.

Work is expected to take place over a period of two weeks during September.