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Scofield council adopts noise, lighting and nuisance ordinance after revisions and exemptions
Summary
After review and recommended edits from county staff and the town attorney, the council adopted a local ordinance regulating noise, outdoor lighting and nuisance, with exemptions for railroad/highway noise and certain construction/emergency activities. Council asked staff to monitor enforcement feasibility.
Scofield’s town council voted Monday to adopt a local ordinance regulating noise, outdoor lighting and nuisance within the town, after staff incorporated recommendations from county building officials and the town attorney.
The ordinance includes targeted exemptions for noises the town cannot regulate — for example, railroad and highway truck noise — and clarifies that certain construction or emergency activities may be exempt. The draft also directs attention to specific nuisance provisions that would protect the town’s drinking-water supplies: the attorney suggested adding language to prohibit activities that negatively affect water quantity or quality.
Council members discussed challenges in enforcing restrictions on off-highway vehicles (OHVs) and other mobile sources, and noted that enforcement might require separate traffic or OHV rules. They also discussed shielding or limiting motion-activated and high-beam lighting that intrudes into neighbors’ properties.
The council voted to adopt the ordinance and directed staff to circulate the final, signed version to members who had not received it (a council member had reported an email bounce). The ordinance will take effect under the town’s normal adoption procedures; staff were asked to prepare enforcement guidelines and public notice for residents.
