RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Richmond city leaders want to crack down on noise disturbances after a rise in complaints across the city.
Mayor Levar Stoney introduced legislation to city council members at Monday night’s meeting. With the help of Councilman Michael Jones and Councilwoman Katherine Jordan, Stoney announced some potential revisions to the city’s Sound Control Ordinance at Tuesday’s media briefing.
The Sound Control Ordinance sets a limit on the amount of noise that is considered acceptable in various parts of the city, Stoney said. “It impacts the quality of life,” he said. “We receive thousands of complaints per year of excessive noise, but the state of our current ordinance made it difficult for police officers and the courts to enforce that ordinance.”
One of the significant changes in the proposed ordinance is that it doesn’t criminalize violators. Instead, it would change the penalty from criminal to civil.
The first offense would result in a $50 fine. The second offense — if it happens within seven days of the first violation — would be $100. The third offense and any subsequent offenses — if made within two weeks of the first violation — would be a $500 fine.
Councilwoman Jordan, who represents the 2nd District, said she’s been getting more noise complaints from residents who live near healthcare facilities.
“It’s been a real issue of harassment around our clinics in the city to the point where I got constituent complaints repeatedly from neighbors blocks away from the clinic about really abhorrent, amplified harassment,” she said.
In the new ordinance, the sounds at healthcare facilities and in places of worship shouldn’t be louder than that in the average office during the day (65 decibels from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.), or louder than a household refrigerator in the middle of the night (55 decibels from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m.).
Sounds from restaurants would be capped at about the level of a dishwasher during the day (80 decibels) and slightly softer than that after hours (75 decibels).
While anywhere on school property, noise shouldn’t exceed the level of a normal conversation at any time (65 decibels).
Mayor Stoney said he and other city leaders have been working on possible revisions to the city’s noise ordinance for several months.
“I’m so pleased to finally have an ordinance that hopefully will put a damper on this,” Jordan said. “If you have an opinion, that’s fine. But please be respectful of those around you, and we’re not going to stand for it in the city.”
Emily Stravitz, who lives along Monument Avenue, said the noise from speed bikes have been causing her a headache.
“It feels like it’s gotten worse in the past year and it’s always worse when the weather is nicer,” she said.
At night and even during the day, she said the noise vibrates through her home. “You can definitely hear it inside and in the backyard,” she said.
Stravitz added that changes to the noise ordinance could give her a peace of mind. “It kind of interrupts the peace. Monument Avenue is a great place to live because everyone is hanging out,” she said. “It would be nice if you wouldn’t have to deal with it — at least at night.”
The proposed changes for the Sound Control Ordinance will head to the Governmental Operations Committee. Mayor Stoney said city council members will hold some public hearings before they vote on it this summer.
