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Resident presses city over nighttime noise from Village Rose Deli refrigeration
Summary
Resident Roger Herman told council he filed an online noise complaint after a rooftop refrigeration unit behind his home repeatedly produced 30-second noises every two to three minutes; the city inspector said measurements at property lines and nearby businesses returned levels the inspector characterized as "normal" under the code but offered to share maintenance invoices and follow up.
Roger Herman, a Bay Village resident, told City Council he filed an online noise complaint on Nov. 18 about a rooftop refrigeration unit behind the Village Rose Deli that he said "makes the sound every 2 to 3 minutes or so" and lasted about 30 seconds at a time. Herman said the noise continued around the clock and that an inspector’s Dec. 31 spot reading recorded a spike to 87 decibels. He said he received limited direct communication from city staff and asked the city to provide documentation of the inspection and any maintenance performed.
Inspector Eric, who handles building/code complaints, described his response and said he takes measurements from property lines and at nearby businesses to compare typical levels. "My job is to be a neutral observer and an enforcer," he told the council, adding that the district where the deli sits is a "grandfathered" residential-business zone and that enforcement follows the code section for what is "normal" in that district. Eric said he would provide Herman with the invoice that Rose Deli supplied showing a maintenance check and that the invoice did not list parts replaced; the inspector said the documented work was less than $200.
Herman told the council he was not seeking punishment but asked for clearer documentation of what the city saw and why the case was handled the way it was: "I'm asking for documentation of a problem that did exist and some type of measurement of what happened," he said. Council members and staff encouraged improved direct communication between inspectors and complainants and suggested Herman and the new deli owner meet to discuss mitigation steps. The clerk later read a separate written communication from another resident raising related zoning, parking and liquor-license questions about the same business.
For follow-up, Inspector Eric said he would send Herman the maintenance invoice and continue to monitor complaints; council members said residents should contact the building department if the noise reoccurs so staff can make additional evening inspections.
