Commissioners approve ordinance to reduce noise from dirtbikes, ATVs (Maryland)
Noisy neighbors beware
May 09, 2007
By Meg Bernhardt
Frederick News-Post Staff
Residents who are concerned about noise problems can call the Frederick County Sheriff's Office to get help.
The Frederick County commissioners unanimously passed an ordinance Tuesday night to allow county police officers to enforce regulations modeled after state noise laws already in place.
Under the new ordinance, in residential areas, daytime restrictions, in effect from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., limit noise to 65 decibels (65 decibels is roughly the level for conversation at three to five feet); at night, the limit is 55 decibels. It bans off-road vehicles within 300 feet of a neighboring property without written permission or an OK from county planners.
The ordinance has several exemptions, including machinery for lawn care, snow removal and agriculture.
More than 20 residents at Tuesday's public hearing complained about noise and vibrations from ATVs, dirt bikes without mufflers and pool machinery, among other problems.
Though they respected others' property rights, they said theirs have been violated by noisy and rude neighbors.
Adamstown resident Chris Atwell said the noise from a 10-acre motocross track caused him to leave every weekend to avoid it.
"I found myself dreading my commute home, knowing that what awaited me was not relaxation after a hard day's work, but frustration that I was not allowed to enjoy my property," Atwell said. "What he was doing was trespassing on my property, and I couldn't do a thing about it."
Lately, his neighbor has used the track less frequently, but Atwell said the county needs to have ordinances in place to deal with complaints about roaring and whining bikes.
Atwell said a 25-year-old neighbor, who was dying of cancer, could not return home for his last days.
Residents also were concerned the noise was affecting their health.
Jeff Thomas is a veteran who was wounded in Iraq and suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder. Semi-automatic weapons within 150 feet of his house disturb him greatly.
"If you want to ride your ATV or fire your weapon I think you can go to a firing range or track," Thomas said.
Frederick County Commissioner Charles Jenkins has ridden ATVs on occasion himself, but believes neighbors should be considerate and look into ways to muffle the sound instead of being loud and inconsiderate.
"I think people ought to be entitled to peaceful enjoyment of their homes and I think that needs to be the higher precedence," Jenkins said. "That's kind of my guiding philosophy on this."
He said he was influenced by the 25 e-mails he'd received in support of the ordinance, but none opposing it.
It will cost the county about $11,000 to buy sound level meters, calibrate them and train officers to use them, said Sheriff's Office Lt. Scott Jewell.
A few residents opposed the ordinance, saying a snow blower should be allowed before 7 a.m. One woman said she lets her children ride dirt bikes but does not want them to be harassed by neighbors and hopes the ordinance will be enforced fairly.
County Commissioner Jan Gardner said the ordinance will be enforced on the basis of complaints.
The county will not dedicate any officers solely for noise enforcement, rather those complaints will be folded into their everyday workflow. They will measure noise levels from the yard of the person complaining, Gardner said.
The commissioners said they hope having the ordinance in place will encourage neighbors to work out their difficulties.
County Commissioner Kai Hagen said they'd heard testimony from Carroll County officials who said they have not had to issue any fines in the past few years since passing a noise ordinance.
"The fact there was a tool meant it didn't have to be used," Hagen said.
May 09, 2007
By Meg Bernhardt
Frederick News-Post Staff
Residents who are concerned about noise problems can call the Frederick County Sheriff's Office to get help.
The Frederick County commissioners unanimously passed an ordinance Tuesday night to allow county police officers to enforce regulations modeled after state noise laws already in place.
Under the new ordinance, in residential areas, daytime restrictions, in effect from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., limit noise to 65 decibels (65 decibels is roughly the level for conversation at three to five feet); at night, the limit is 55 decibels. It bans off-road vehicles within 300 feet of a neighboring property without written permission or an OK from county planners.
The ordinance has several exemptions, including machinery for lawn care, snow removal and agriculture.
More than 20 residents at Tuesday's public hearing complained about noise and vibrations from ATVs, dirt bikes without mufflers and pool machinery, among other problems.
Though they respected others' property rights, they said theirs have been violated by noisy and rude neighbors.
Adamstown resident Chris Atwell said the noise from a 10-acre motocross track caused him to leave every weekend to avoid it.
"I found myself dreading my commute home, knowing that what awaited me was not relaxation after a hard day's work, but frustration that I was not allowed to enjoy my property," Atwell said. "What he was doing was trespassing on my property, and I couldn't do a thing about it."
Lately, his neighbor has used the track less frequently, but Atwell said the county needs to have ordinances in place to deal with complaints about roaring and whining bikes.
Atwell said a 25-year-old neighbor, who was dying of cancer, could not return home for his last days.
Residents also were concerned the noise was affecting their health.
Jeff Thomas is a veteran who was wounded in Iraq and suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder. Semi-automatic weapons within 150 feet of his house disturb him greatly.
"If you want to ride your ATV or fire your weapon I think you can go to a firing range or track," Thomas said.
Frederick County Commissioner Charles Jenkins has ridden ATVs on occasion himself, but believes neighbors should be considerate and look into ways to muffle the sound instead of being loud and inconsiderate.
"I think people ought to be entitled to peaceful enjoyment of their homes and I think that needs to be the higher precedence," Jenkins said. "That's kind of my guiding philosophy on this."
He said he was influenced by the 25 e-mails he'd received in support of the ordinance, but none opposing it.
It will cost the county about $11,000 to buy sound level meters, calibrate them and train officers to use them, said Sheriff's Office Lt. Scott Jewell.
A few residents opposed the ordinance, saying a snow blower should be allowed before 7 a.m. One woman said she lets her children ride dirt bikes but does not want them to be harassed by neighbors and hopes the ordinance will be enforced fairly.
County Commissioner Jan Gardner said the ordinance will be enforced on the basis of complaints.
The county will not dedicate any officers solely for noise enforcement, rather those complaints will be folded into their everyday workflow. They will measure noise levels from the yard of the person complaining, Gardner said.
The commissioners said they hope having the ordinance in place will encourage neighbors to work out their difficulties.
County Commissioner Kai Hagen said they'd heard testimony from Carroll County officials who said they have not had to issue any fines in the past few years since passing a noise ordinance.
"The fact there was a tool meant it didn't have to be used," Hagen said.
