Warwick Drafts Policy To Regulate 'Excessive' Noise

Laura Knowles

Complaints about loud music, motorcross tracks, gatherings of young people, barking dogs and noisy vehicles have been lodged for months with Warwick Township supervisors.

The noise ordinance is an initial step, and it will be reviewed over the next few months.

Daniel Zimmerman, township manager, said residents can see the document on the township Web site at www.warwicktownship.org .

"Most local municipalities of our size have enacted a noise ordinance," Zimmerman said. These examples and a model ordinance provided by the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors gave Warwick ideas to include in proposed township guidelines.

Comments on the ordinance should be directed to the Wawick Township office.

At this point, the wording of the proposed noise ordinance is intended "to ensure that public health, safety and welfare shall not be abridged by the making and creating of noise pollution or of public nuisances from disturbing, excessive or offensive noises in the township."

The ordinance states uncontrolled noise represents a danger to the health and welfare of the community and that persons are entitled to live in an environment in which the level of impulsive and amplified noise is minimized for the community good.

The proposed noise ordinance would require that businesses, industries, persons maintaining animals, social gatherings and other activities be regulated to ensure that noise emanating from their premises does not constitute a violation of the peace and enjoyment of township residents.

The ordinance would regulate noise emanating from home occupations, businesses, industries, between certain hours, sound amplification equipment, radios, electronic sound recording equipment, vehicles, persons maintaining nonfarm animals, social gatherings and other activities.

The document further regulates noise of such loudness, character, duration or repetition from a single source or from multiple sources, which is or may be predicted with reasonable certainty to be, injurious to health or which unreasonably interferes with the enjoyment of property.

The list of noises that are defined as annoying or injurious to health include radios, television sets, musical instruments that produce a noise disturbance across a property line, between the hours of 9 p.m. and 7 a.m.

Among the noisy behaviors that will be regulated are loud or raucous yelling, shouting, hooting, whistling or singing on the public streets, drilling or demolition work between the hours of 9 p.m. and 6 a.m., power tools such as saws, drills, sanders, grinders, lawn or garden tools used between the hours of 9 p.m. and 7 a.m., loading, unloading, opening, closing or other handling of boxes, crates, containers, building materials or similar objects from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m.

Noise from vehicles, motorboats, ATVs, dirt and trail bikes, snowmobiles and sound systems also will be regulated during certain hours.

A few exemptions to the noise regulations include sirens and emergency vehicles, construction equipment used in daytime hours, air conditioners, fans, heating units, airplanes, helicopters, trains, musical events, athletic events, firing ranges during day hours, church bells and festivals.

Zimmerman said the proposed ordinance is intended to use reasonable guidelines for noise regulation and help to define "excessive" noise.

--

Source: http://www.allbusiness.com/legal/trial-procedure-ordinances/13376355-1.html

---

Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites