Putnam Valley Officials Look to Schedule Second Public Hearing for Noise Ordinance
The Putnam Valley Town Board on Wednesday will schedule another public hearing to review the latest changes made to the towns noise ordinance.
Per the board’s pre-work session agenda for Wednesday, officials will vote to set the public hearing for March 17. This comes just over a month after residents lambasted an original proposal that sought to set a decibel limit on area noise and institute amendments regulating daytime sound in the existing noise ordinance.
Residents had argued during the public hearing that the boards efforts to control daytime noise would violate their rights and limit their activities. The board then voted down that plan and opted to start over a week later.
Officials have been striving to amend the existing ordinance after the town received numerous complaints last year of neighbors being disruptive and blasting music for hours at a time.
The towns current noise law doesn’t address daytime sound and fails to place a penalty on those who violate the code. Furthermore, the ordinance doesn’t have a decibel limit, which has restricted law enforcement officers and deputies from effectively enforcing the law, officials have said.
A decibel is how sound is measured.
The previous plan proposed a decibel limit of 65 between 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. within any residentially zoned district, and 55 decibels between 6 p.m. and 8 a.m.
Commercially zoned areas would have been subject to maintaining sound up to 65 decibels.
While the proposal was in line with neighboring municipalities, such as Carmel, many residents and some board members argued that 65 decibels (dBs) was too low and would restrict homeowners from engaging in common housekeeping activities, like mowing the lawn or cutting down a tree, another recreational uses.
For comparison, normal breathing is measured at about 10 dBs, with regular conversation measured up to 65. A vacuum cleaner is categorized at an estimated 70 dBs, general traffic sounds is 80 dBs, and a lawnmower is measured between 85 and 90.
The new proposal states that between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m., prolonged noise levels of 70 decibels or more lasting longer than 15 minutes on any given day would be prohibited. The ordinance would apply to revving cars, loud music, artificially amplified voices, or artificially amplified sound producing devices, the proposal states.
Additionally, noise levels exceeding 60 decibels for more than 15 minutes between 8 p.m. and 7 a.m. would be prohibited.
While the remainder of the noise ordinance would remain intact, daytime exemptions to the law would include ongoing construction, yard maintenance, yard and construction mechanisms and tools, air conditioners, generators, snow-blowers, hand tools, chain saws, land and or watercraft that are not stationary, and one-day celebratory events, such as birthday parties and holiday gatherings.
Furthermore, evening exemptions would consist of air conditioners, generators, all moving land vehicles, tools needed during a weather or national emergency, and one-day celebratory events. All parties must end by midnight, the proposal states.
The municipality and utilities would also be excused from all restrictions if it involves necessary maintenance, repairs, and any emergency response during a weather event or national emergency.
Violators would be subject to a fine of up to $500 for each offense, imprisonment of up to 15 days, or both. The town would also be authorized to seek injunctive relief to prevent the continued violation.
Town Supervisor Sam Oliverio has previously said this latest draft of the proposal is “very fair” and believes the community will respond favorably to it. He hopes to have something approved by March, previously explaining that noise hits its peak volume in the spring.
