Berkley council adopts noise ordinance amendments, adds 100 dBA exception for power equipment

Berkley — The Berkley City Council on March 16 adopted amendments to the city noise ordinance that set measurable decibel limits and add an explicit exception for power equipment used between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m.

Director Kaplansky said staff added language to exempt “equipment operations … between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. of power equipment that does not produce a sound level exceeding 100 dBA at or beyond the property line.” She told the council the proposed levels align with neighboring Metro Detroit communities and follow EPA public-health guidance and occupational standards from OSHA and NIOSH.

Council members discussed how the ordinance will be enforced. Kaplansky said the city will purchase a calibrated decibel reader, which will be used for complaint-based measurements and is admissible in court. "It has to be calibrated before it's used," she said. The device will be used when there is a specific complaint, she added.

Councilmember Patterson raised a practical concern about loud handheld equipment, noting that a chainsaw can reach 100–120 dBA and asking how the ordinance would apply to typical residential trimming. Kaplansky responded that the exception is measured at the property line and that short periods of work that momentarily approach the limit would be considered in context.

The council approved the second reading and adoption of the ordinance on a roll-call vote. The ordinance replaces redundant language in chapter 74, provides specific definitions and measurable sound-pressure levels, and centralizes enforcement under the municipal code.

The ordinance takes effect according to the city code’s adoption schedule; staff said complaint-based enforcement will begin after the city procures and calibrates measurement equipment.