Your Opinion: Sound approach to noise

Friday, November 9, 2012

Crafting a municipal noise ordinance is a balancing act that includes standards and variables.

The standards are measurable decibel levels necessary for enforcement.

The variables are residents’ differing tolerances for volume and content (one person’s music is another person’s cacophony).

The Jefferson City Council on Monday approved a noise ordinance that strikes a delicate balance.

Council members, who adopted the measure on a 9-1 vote, wisely took their time with the proposal and listened to constituents, and critics.

The result is an ordinance that specifies decibel levels, both commercial and residential, during both daytime and nighttime hours, measured from a fixed distance.

In short, the ordinance advances specifics and accounts for variables — in both time and location.

Maximum allowed noise levels are:

• In commercial areas, 80 decibels in daytime and 75 decibels during nighttime.

• In residential areas, 60 decibels in daytime and 55 decibels during nighttime.

Daytime begins at 7 a.m. and extends to 9 p.m. from Sunday through Thursday and to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

Sound levels are measured 50 feet from the source.

No noise ordinance will satisfy every resident.

Although perfection on this matter is elusive, the council has adopted a reasonable, and enforceable, city ordinance.

More like this story

CommanderBarkfeather 6 months, 1 week ago

Listening to Beethoven's Ninth Symphony at 85db is one thing. Listening to a pulsating, machine-like, repetitious (dare I say boring) throb of bass guitar and drum machine, accompanied by an egocentric, self indulgent rap artist bemoaning the feckless perils of teenage angst at 85db, is something entirely different. Educators used to lend a modicum of cultural appreciation in our public schools--alas, it is no more. All too often, these days they simply supply drones to work the great machine.

tonto_goldberg 6 months, 1 week ago

Commander, the decibel system is logarithmic and 85 dB is not very loud, no matter what you are listening to or trying to avoid. On the other hand, almost any music a person hates is too loud. I like Beethoven a lot. It's Wagner that really needs to be loud. I agree that rap ought to be whispered amongst true fans who can really appreciate its subtle nuances.

online_editor 6 months, 1 week ago

I removed two posts that included personal insults. Feel free to resubmit the salient points of your viewpoint minus those. Thanks. --Rick Brown, online editor, News Tribune

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