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Council discusses enforcement for new noise ordinance; police to be primary contact
Summary
As council prepared to repeal the old noise chapter and adopt a revised ordinance, the attorney and police explained enforcement roles, noting a specialized noise-control investigator certification is not currently in place and police can accept complaints.
Council members discussed enforcement details for a revised noise ordinance that the council introduced for publication and public hearing. The discussion focused on who residents should contact, evidence requirements and whether the township has a designated certified noise-control investigator.
Township attorney Shivan (last name given earlier in the record) and police staff explained that a noise control officer/investigator is a certified role under the ordinance but that local police officers who receive some training typically handle most routine noise complaints. The attorney said the township does not currently have a specialized certified noise-control investigator in-house; police officers can respond to complaints and issue summonses where appropriate.
Council members asked whether police officers would be trained to use sound-measuring equipment (decibel meters) or whether the township would rely on county or regional specialists. Staff said county resources can be used and that some forms of noise complaints (for example, loud music audible at 2 a.m.) can be handled by police without specialized measurement tools.
Officials discussed education and communications to contractors and landscapers and suggested putting noise ordinance guidance in permit application materials. The council introduced Ordinance 25-24 to repeal the existing noise chapter and scheduled it for public hearing; members asked administration to identify who would be designated in the ordinance as the enforcement contact and to consider training needs for police or how to access a regional noise investigator if required.
