[RP TownTalk] Speaking of noise...

[Alan Thompson and Sarah Wayland]

I looked up the town laws on noise. The dumpster noise is definitely  
violating our town laws (see below.) However, in order for the police  
to follow through on this, they will need to measure the noise level  
when it's happening. That means they will need to "stake out" the  
dumpsters. As you can  imagine, this might be less important to them  
than traffic safety or crime prevention.

My advice to you is to figure out exactly when the dumpsters are  
being emptied, and call the police to lodge yet another complaint. In  
fact, I think anyone affected by this should call and complain. The  
squeaky wheel gets the grease! In your complaint, tell them the day 
(s) of the week and time of day that it regularly occurs. Then  
contact your councilperson to make sure there is follow-through. My  
guess is that Crescent Cities and Jemal's building subcontract the  
trash hauling out to the same contractor. The contractor needs to be  
held responsible, and the only way to do that is to apply pressure to  
their employers.

Good luck! I know how incredibly irritating something like this can  
be having lived through the construction of a 9 story building next  
to my apartment (years ago). Each morning (Mon - Sat) at 5 am, I was  
awakened to the sound of rebar crashing into a metal dumpster several  
stories below: GOOD MORNING!!

-Sarah

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 From the town code (http://www.ci.riverdale-park.md.us/ 
AboutRiverdalePark/LawsOfTown/default.html)

§ 50-11. Environmental Noise Control . [Adopted 1-20-54 as former §  
54-17. Titled "Unreasonable Noise Prohibited"] [Repealed and  
replaced, retitled 4-7-97, effective 4-27-97].

§ 50-11-1 Definitions.

“Commercial land use”- Property zoned or used for the sale of goods  
and services or for office uses.

§ 50-11.2 Standards.

(a) No person shall operate, play or permit the operation or playing  
of any radio, television, record player, tape recorder, musical  
instrument, amplifier or any similar device so as to cause sound  
measurable beyond the property line of the source at levels greater  
than the following:
	Industrial 75 dBA, daytime or nighttime
	Commercial 67 dBA, daytime, 62 dBA, nighttime
	Residential 60 dBA, daytime, 50 dBA, nighttime

(b) Sound level measurements may be taken anywhere beyond the  
property line of the source, on public or private property, five feet  
above the ground. In the case of a multiple dwelling unit, the  
property line shall be defined as that area beyond the walls of an  
individual dwelling unit. Measurements from unzoned property shall  
conform with those standards for residential zoned property.

(c) Sound level measurements shall be taken by a trained operator  
using a sound level meter set on the "slow" setting. The sound level  
meter shall be maintained and calibrated and remain in good working  
order.

§ 50-11.3 Loud Noise Prohibited

(a) Generally - Loud and unnecessary noise which disturbs the public  
peace between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., local time,  
except as otherwise provided in this section, shall be deemed a  
public nuisance and is prohibited. Sound levels measured from the  
property line of the source not in compliance with levels specified  
in section 50-11.2 of this chapter are presumed a public nuisance,  
and subject the violator to the penalties set forth in section 50-11.5.


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