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Board schedules public hearing on updated noise ordinance to restrict early-morning refuse collection
Summary
The town board scheduled a June 12 public hearing on proposed noise-code changes that would prohibit residential refuse collection before 6:00 a.m. and add enforcement provisions; board members and residents discussed practicality and enforcement pathways.
The Goshen Town Board on May 8 set a public hearing for June 12 on an introductory local law to amend town noise rules and prohibit residential refuse collection at very early hours. The draft change would modify Chapter 7 of the town code to add a specific prohibition on refuse collection between late-night and early-morning hours and to add enforcement language directing code enforcement to issue violations that proceed to court without an extended cure period.
The proposed amendment would: (1) add a new subsection identifying refuse-collection vehicles and refuse collection from properties of a residential nature as a presumptive noise source at certain hours; (2) prohibit such collection between specified night/early-morning hours (the draft presented to the board proposed a start as early as 5:30 a.m.; board discussion favored moving that start to 6:00 a.m. to reduce conflict with commercial collection logistics while also protecting school pick-up hours); and (3) modify enforcement procedures to permit immediate appearance tickets rather than multi-step remedy notices in situations deemed de facto violations.
Board members and speakers discussed practical enforcement. The board and town attorney said the code-enforcement officer would record complaints, investigate, and, where a violation was found, issue an appearance ticket that advances the case to the local court. Residents asked how enforcement would work for trucks operating before code officers could attend; staff explained collection companies maintain logbooks and route records that can be used as evidence, and the police department may respond to time-sensitive late-night or early-morning complaints.
Several board members asked staff to clarify the proposed time window and to add a superseding clause to resolve conflicts with other town rules. The board voted to set the public hearing for June 12 and asked the attorney to post the updated draft online and prepare a clean code-insert version for review.
