Council to review noise ordinance after Maple Street generator and habitability complaints

Residents and council members raised code‑enforcement concerns about a Maple Street property reportedly operating without conventional utilities and running noisy equipment at night. The council discussed limitations in the town’s existing noise ordinance (originally drafted to address loud music) and whether it explicitly covers generators, construction noise and non‑operational homes.

John (council) described conversations with the property owner and noted a vehicle was reportedly being used to provide power. Members asked whether current ordinances allow officers to act when a house lacks utilities or when a generator makes sustained noise at night. The prosecutor’s office was consulted on a prior case and chose not to file charges on that matter, council members said.

Council agreed to several next steps: have John check Jasper’s ordinance language, ask Mindy to circulate the current town ordinance and prepare suggested amendments (including possible objective decibel thresholds and defined quiet hours), and to consider whether ordinance violation procedures and fines need to be updated to cover generators and construction noise.

What was said: councilors noted enforcement is often subjective without objective thresholds and described the utility of a sound meter and a clear standard (for example, a 55 dB night‑time threshold was cited as a common example). They also discussed the practicalities of enforcement and court outcomes when complaints are subjective.

The council did not adopt ordinance changes at the meeting but committed to a follow‑up review and to consult neighboring jurisdictions for model language.