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<br />
<br />In terms of inquiries, Land Use Management staff in PDD hears from community members most often
<br />about noisy heating/cooling systems (individuals disturbed by a neighbor’s heat pump, as an example)
<br />and barking dogs. Staff encourages neighbors to talk to one another and also refers residents to the Lane
<br />County Animal Regulation Authority and to the EPD non-emergency number as needed. Depending on
<br />the situation’s gravity and availability of staff, these agencies may respond to certain contacts.
<br />
<br />According to LCARA staff, in the case of barking dogs, a complainant must first attempt to contact the
<br />dog owner, produce evidence such as a tape or video recording that there has been a “continual
<br />annoyance” of more than 15 minutes of uninterrupted barking, and be willing to testify in Municipal
<br />Court in the event the complaint goes forward.
<br />
<br />Over a three-year period ending on June 30, 2006, EPD received an estimated 1,838 calls related to loud
<br />noises including dogs, moped/scooters and motorcycles, blowers, construction, vehicles, and parties.
<br />Seventy-four percent of these calls were dispatched, resulting in 157 arrests, 506 citations and 693
<br />citations in lieu of custody (CLC). About 1,400 of the calls were classified as Loud Noise-Parties.
<br />Penalties for noise violations can range from a $500 fine or 30 days in jail (or both) to a fine of $1,500
<br />or 90 days in jail (or both).
<br />
<br />Noise pollution regulations in other communities vary widely. Tigard, for instance, sets different
<br />decibel limits for day and night and then prohibits a range of noises violating those levels. Among the
<br />prohibited noises when exceeding established decibel levels are animal sounds and bird calls (domestic),
<br />operation of air conditioning units and hot tub pumps, and malfunctioning vehicles. Enforcement
<br />requires that at least two persons from different households provide evidence to establish a violation,
<br />though the City of Tigard may ask an alleged violator to enter into a voluntary compliance agreement on
<br />the basis of a single complaint or single witness.
<br />
<br />Newport’s noise ordinance prohibits the operation of any blower, power fan, compressor, internal
<br />combustion engine or electric motor in a way that “…creates unreasonable noise which causes
<br />inconvenience, annoyance or alarm to another.” Newport’s ordinance also singles out yelling, shouting
<br />and similar conduct, public address systems, and refrigerated trucks.
<br />
<br />Boulder, Colorado, restricts “unreasonable noise” in public places and near private residences which the
<br />alleged noise-maker has no right to occupy. More specifically, Boulder has limits to sound levels, by
<br />decibel measurement, based on a property’s zoning designation.
<br />
<br />Davis, California, restricts noise generated by power tools, construction and landscape maintenance
<br />equipment by hours of occurrence and decibel levels. That community further prohibits individual
<br />powered blowers over a certain noise level and the operation of powered blowers within a 100-foot
<br />radius of one another. However, on single-family residential properties, the decibel limit on power
<br />blowers is waived if the equipment is operated for fewer than 10 minutes per occurrence. Code
<br />compliance investigations are initiated on a complaint basis.
<br />
<br />Noise pollution differs from other forms of pollution. It is transient – once it stops, the environment is
<br />free of it. And, though it can be measured, monitoring cumulative exposure is challenging. It also is
<br />highly subjective, with certain noises considered pleasant to some and annoying to others. Impacts of
<br />sound extend beyond the actual loudness and include time and place, duration, source, and whether the
<br />listener has any control over the noise. Noise pollution has been implicated in performance reduction,
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