The Norwalk Ordinance Committee on Oct. 21 voted unanimously to send a rewritten Chapter 68 (noise) to public hearing after staff and police said the existing ordinance was difficult to enforce and overly complicated.

Staff briefed the committee on the rewrite, describing the revisions as simplifications intended to make enforcement clearer and consistent with neighboring municipalities. The changes remove multiple measurement tables (the Washington Street-specific table was deleted and a single standard table adopted citywide), simplify sound-level measurement language, and clarify exclusions (for example, certain generators and construction exemptions). "We tried to simplify for everyone. We tried to make it easier to interpret, and we tried to make it consistent with what other communities are doing," staff said.

Enforcement and penalties: The draft gives enforcement authority to police officers and a noise-control administrator and shortens the penalty section to make on-the-ground enforcement clearer. Penalties in the rewritten draft include fines in graduated amounts (for repeat or continuing violations) and make each day a separate offense. Staff said the rewrite is intended to produce more consistent enforcement and tracking of repeat offenders.

Other points: The draft includes language modeled on another municipality to permit fireworks ignitions after 10 p.m. only by permit for city events. It also clarifies that planning and zoning regulations that are more restrictive will continue to prevail over the noise chapter where applicable.

Vote and next steps: Committee member Heather Dunn moved the item; the committee approved sending the draft to public hearing. The public hearing will allow businesses and residents to comment on the simplified rules, noise limits and enforcement approach.

Ending: Staff noted outreach to business groups (the chamber) and said the item has been on the committee agenda for multiple meetings; the public will have an opportunity to comment before final council action.