October 4, 2004                                                                                        ITEM # 13

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Item Title:            Amendments to Noise Ordinance

 

Specific Action Requested:

That the Board of Commissioners adopt the amendments as attached.

 

Item Summary:

The Public Safety Committee has met to examine the need for amendments to the Noise Ordinance to address the problem of excessively loud noise from automobile and residential sound systems. The Committee also reviewed the standard necessary to prove a violation of the ordinance. The attached proposed amendments to the existing ordinance 1) require that amplified sounds not be at such a level as to be heard outside of the premises in which they are being created; 2) make it unlawful to play any audio system on public rights of way or public property at such volume as to disturb others; 3) require that amplified sounds not be at such a level as to be heard outside of an automobile in which they are being created; and 4) provide that violations of the ordinance may be established by the complaint of two persons residing in different homes, or of a law enforcement officer. The current ordinance requires the complaint of two such witnesses and a law enforcement officer.

 

Attached is the current ordinance, with previous amendments, and the proposed ordinance changes.

 

Attachments:

  1. Current Ordinance
  2. Proposed Ordinance Changes