City drafts new noise bylaw

City drafts new noise bylaw



By Greg MacDonald, Chronicle Staff
News
Nov 11, 2009



The City of Waterloo is drafting a new noise bylaw and officials say the updated rules will make it easier to determine violations.
The new bylaw isn’t just good for people concerned about noise in the city, but those who have received complaints, said Coun. Karen Scian.
She pointed to a situation where a neighbour complained about the noise from students at a school singing the national anthem as a downside to the current bylaw.
“I think this adds a level of reasonableness to the situation,” Scian said.
In the past, citing bylaw violations was more art than science, but thanks to a recently purchased decibel meter, infractions will be assessed based on the actual loudness of the noise rather than the perceived loudness, said Jim Barry, director of bylaw for the city.
“This sets clear limits on noise,” he said.
“Our intent is to make the bylaw more clear and easier to follow.”
Barry presented the draft bylaw at Monday afternoon’s council meeting. It will now go out to the public for input before facing approval from council in the new year.
The purpose of the bylaw is to make violations more black and white — as Coun. Mark Whaley put it, essentially to “take the element of complaint out of it.”
The new bylaw will act as a fair barometer of noise, Barry said.
“Under the current bylaw, if someone has an exemption and we receive a complaint, we can still go and ask them to turn it down,” he said. “But now you’ll have the exemption as long as you don’t exceed the decibel levels.”
The bylaw sets the acceptable amount of noise in residential areas at 50 db during the day and between 45 db and 47 db overnight.
The proposed bylaw also includes a measure that would require any event with more than 60 people in attendance to hire a bylaw officer.
That sparked some concern, as the city reported last month that festivals are leaving Waterloo Park because of the costs associated with noise violations.
The requirement of a bylaw officer will be at the discretion of the city, Barry said.
“It won’t be a requirement on new festivals,” he said. “But if we’ve had complaints in the past, we can say that the festival merits this extra level of enforcement.”
In addition to clarifying violations, the new bylaw consolidates the two existing bylaws that govern noise in the city.
One decibel meter has already been purchased — a used unit which cost $2,000. Officers are now training and the city plans to purchase another.
“We’re on the road to be in good place in the new year to enforce the new bylaw to give an added level of protection in the city,” Barry said.
The bylaw will be open for comment on the city’s website at www.waterloo.ca .