Amherst committee narrows proposed noise rules, strikes vibrations clause and tables two ordinances for redrafting

Council members on the Amherst Police & Fire Committee on Feb. 17 approved a series of revisions to proposed noise ordinances but stopped short of final adoption, sending both related ordinance drafts back to staff for redrafting.

The committee voted to remove the phrase exempting “all holidays observed by the city,” approved changing an exemption that had listed “police” to a broader “emergency/safety services” designation, and inserted a time‑weighted‑average (TWA) clause that measures continuous noise over a 15‑minute period. The group also voted to strike a smaller subsection addressing vibration measurement after members and staff said the city lacks calibrated equipment and reliable enforcement language. After several amendments, the committee voted 6–1 to table both ordinance items (file numbers 25‑04 and 25‑05) for further revision by the law department and city staff.

Why it matters: The two ordinance drafts amend sections of the city code that set permissible outdoor sound levels, exemptions and enforcement procedures. Committee members repeatedly debated numeric decibel thresholds, how to measure noise in ways a court would accept, and limits to the city’s authority to regulate noise originating from state or federally regulated entities.

Committee discussion and votes

Councilman Janek, who presented the drafts, said staff incorporated feedback from the previous committee meeting and from the building official. The meeting opened with a staff‑provided decibel comparison chart from the mayor’s office intended to give the committee context for proposed numeric limits.

Several members objected that the draft thresholds were too low. Council President Masloka cited the World Health Organization guidance…