Council listens, then votes for quiet
New county ordinance gives law officers power to handle noise issues
By Lisa A. Abraham
Beacon Journal staff writer

Keep it down out there.

The Summit County Council on Monday adopted a new noise ordinance that will give local police the power to quell nuisance noise in neighborhoods.

Councilman Paul Gallagher, D-Cuyahoga Falls, said the ordinance was the result of complaints from residents in various parts of the county.

County sheriff's deputies and other police departments had nothing to enforce when answering noise complaints, Gallagher said. There are disorderly conduct statutes, but none deal with noise complaints specifically enough, he said.

The new law addresses most common noises, including loud music, yelling, vehicle engines, loud speakers, car radios, and barking dogs (even though this is addressed in a county ordinance on animal control).

Noises from emergency vehicles, trash pickup, construction, and public events such as fireworks or concerts, are exempt from the law.

The ordinance doesn't require officers to use a sound level meter before issuing a citation for a noise nuisance. It allows police to cite violators for noise that can be heard more than 80 feet from the offender's property, or more than 100 feet from a vehicle on a roadway.

Noise is prohibited to be louder than 65 decibels in the daytime and 55 decibels at night in residential areas, and 67 decibels for day and 62 decibels at night in nonresidential areas. The law defines night as 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. weekdays and 9 p.m. to 9 a.m. on weekends and holidays.

First-time offenders will be issued a warning, with a second offense increasing to a minor misdemeanor. Subsequent offenses can be fourth-degree misdemeanors with fines of up to $250, and the possible seizure of property.

The council has been refining the ordinance since October. It was adopted Monday by a unanimous vote.

The law will cover the entire county but does not prevent cities from enacting their own noise ordinances. It will go into effect in 30 days.