Middletown commission adopts revised noise ordinance, clarifies trash-pickup hours and enforcement tools

Middletown’s General Counsel Commission voted July 25 to approve a revised noise ordinance that spells out time windows for noisy activity, tightens enforcement language and opens the door to targeted noise-camera deployments in problem corridors.

The measure, discussed at a special meeting called by Councilwoman Jeanette Blackwell, puts an explicit trash-pickup window into ordinance language and confirms that enforcement for sanitation complaints will be handled by public works while police will investigate and use certified handheld decibel meters for measurements.

Why it matters: residents raised complaints about early-morning private-hauler pickups and amplified sound from a planned riverside amphitheater. Commissioners said codifying hours and enforcement protocols should reduce overnight disturbances and create clear remedies when rules are broken.

Chief Costa, participating remotely, described current practice: he told the commission that the city’s decibel benchmark is in the mid-50s and that officers use factory-certified handheld meters and companion test devices "to ensure that that decimal reading is correct" before pursuing enforcement. He also said the city can explore noise-camera systems for targeted locations and that such systems frequently are implemented with support from state environmental police in other jurisdictions. "When it hits that decibel level, it will take a picture of what that noise — who's making that noise," he said, describing how a camera-triggered workflow would identify the source for follow-up enforcement.

Residents who spoke at public comment framed the ordinance as a response to neighborhood impacts. Michael Bazone, who said he lives by the river, asked, "what's the dB level that they have to, abide by," citing concern about events at the amphitheater and audible impacts across the river.

Commissioners also debated an exception for trash pickup and whether city and private haulers should be treated differently. Members said the practical start time for city sanitation work is contractually 4:00 a.m., and they discussed bringing private-hauler hours into contract negotiations if the early start time continues to cause problems.

On penalties the body discussed aligning the ordinance with neighboring communities by raising the maximum fine currently referenced elsewhere in code from $100 toward $250, but commissioners acknowledged that some sections were not on the special-meeting agenda and therefore required further review or remand to the August meeting. Chair Blackwell said she would pursue any amendments on the full council floor if necessary.

The commission adopted the ordinance as amended at the meeting; the transcript records the motion passing unanimously. Next steps identified in discussion included returning particular sections for redlined language to the commission in August, having staff coordinate with Finance to set up a dedicated line for highway-safety expenditures tied to any automated-enforcement revenues, and asking the police to report back on possible camera locations backed by crash data.

The ordinance’s adoption concludes the General Counsel Commission’s formal review; related contract and enforcement details — including whether to seek specific changes in sanitation contracts or to recommend a hearing officer position be budgeted — will be addressed in follow-up staff work and at forthcoming council meetings.