Meridian council seeks options to curb construction dust, noise and light after neighborhood complaints

Meridian — Meridian city staff told the City Council on Aug. 12 that the city largely relies on voluntary compliance and referral to the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to address construction dust, and that the police department has issued very few noise citations during overnight hours.

The presentation, led by Public Works and code enforcement staff, described the city’s current process for handling complaints about dust, temporary lighting and overnight noise and asked the council for direction on whether to pursue a light-touch compliance program or a more formal permitting and inspection approach.

Staff said most dust and light complaints are handled by on-site education and informal correction, and that the city receives roughly 10 to 15 dust complaints a year. “We typically receive between 10 and 15 complaints a year for dust,” Public Works staff said. City officials said DEQ confirmed it is the enforcement authority for many dust-related matters, but staff and council members raised concerns that DEQ may be under-resourced and slow to act.

Council member…