Athens City Council passed an ordinance Monday requiring vocal and machine noise, including air-conditioning units and stereos, are not allowed to exceed 85 decibels at a property's limit.
The ordinance also requires that noise does not cause a disturbance'as determined by law enforcement officials'from more than 50 feet away. Businesses and homeowners must find a way to muffle noise after their first citation, said Councilwoman Nancy Bain, D-3rd Ward.
Complaints about an air conditioning unit at East Elementary School, 3 Wallace Drive, an air compressor at the Ridges, and outdoor seating at Broney's Alumni Grill, 7 W. Carpenter St., prompted the changes, Bain said.
Broney's Alumni Grill owner Brad Wharton refused to comment.
The ordinance applies between the hours of 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. Monday through Friday and between 12 a.m. and 7 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday, Bain said.
The purpose is to give everybody the chance to enjoy their property
she added.
For the air conditioning units and outdoor restaurant seating, Bain suggested that an acoustical consultant could offer solutions for baffling noise.
Angelo Campanella, an acoustical consultant at Campanella Associates in Columbus, said consultants go to the problem site, measure noise levels and make suggestions for baffling noise. The property owner would then have to hire a contractor for construction.
Campanella said he charges $1,200 per day plus costs for travel and test equipment.
Councilwoman Carol Patterson, D-at large, was the only council member that opposed the ordinance on Monday because she said normal voices outside can carry farther than 50 feet.
To me that limits a right as well Patterson said, regarding the ordinance's stipulation of 50 feet, which she said could interfere with activities like backyard barbecues.
The amendments to the ordinance do not include a change in how far the noise travels, Bain said. The original ordinance specified 50 feet.
The ordinance's decibel level, however, was changed from 55 decibels to 85 decibels, Bain said.
According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association's Web site, 80 decibels is considered very loud. An everyday example is the sound of an alarm clock or a busy street. Ninety decibels is considered extremely loud. Everyday examples are the sounds of lawnmowers, truck traffic and shop tools.
According to the association, noise that exceeds 80 decibels is considered potentially hazardous.
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Christa Gould
