Questions gathered from this summer along with examples from
other cities will be reviewed to make improvements
Gilroy – A controversial effort to crack down on noisy businesses and residents will be debated by councilmen next week, now armed with a summer’s worth of research on the noisiest and quietest air conditioners, pools and spas.
The Monday night study session will also explore the approach other cities have taken when dealing with excessive noise.
Officials postponed discussion of the topic earlier in the summer and asked staff for more details, though the delays have caused some residents to question if political backing for the regulation has faded.
“I think the will is still there,” Mayor Al Pinheiro said. “I think actually what happened is it’s a good eye opener. We said let’s not just jump in and create more bureaucracy. Let’s step back and look at what other communities are doing. … One of the things you’re going to see is talk about how far some of these devices are from a particular home. You’ve got lots that are (a few) feet apart. You’ve got certain types of devices that are more efficient and less noisy, and those might be required if you’re so close to a neighbor.”
Officials hope the ordinance will enable them to crack down on noisy businesses and residents by issuing citations or fines. The current system has proven unworkable because it requires the city to base fines and citations on a 24-hour average of excessive noise. In practical terms, it means an enforcement officer has to measure decibel levels from a particular home or business for an entire day. Under the new draft ordinance, the city could penalize violators after measuring excessive noise levels for as little as a few minutes.
The Monday study session takes place at 6pm in City Hall, 7351 Rosanna St.
