HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-17-22 Public Comment - Nena Bozeman - It's time to revise the current construction noise ordinanceFrom:Nena Bozeman
To:Agenda
Subject:It"s Time to Revise the Current Construction Noise Ordinance
Date:Tuesday, May 17, 2022 10:02:55 AM
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Honorable Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Distinguished Commissioners, and City Managers,
73% of NENA Residents that participated in a January of 2022 Survey support and
endorse a revised Construction Noise
Ordinance. https://www.nenabozeman.org/objectives/nena-survey
Bozeman's Northeast Neighborhood (NENA) is requesting a revised
construction noise ordinance authorizing construction noise between the
hours of 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. on weekdays and 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. onweekends throughout the calendar year.
The Current Oridnance: Bozeman, Montana - Code of Ordinances / Chapter 16 -
Environment and Health / ARTICLE 6. - NOISE / [5]Sec. 16.06.070. - Exceptions.
A. Subject to sections 16.06.050 and 16.06.060.A., the following activities will be
authorized as follows:
Construction projects. Operating equipment or performing any construction or repair
work as defined in section 16.06.060 will be authorized between the hours of 6:00
a.m. and 8:00 p.m. from October 1 through March 30 and between 6:00 a.m. and
10:00 p.m. from April 1 through September 30. The director of public service may
authorize temporary relief from this section upon application and a showing of
extraordinary need for the use of this equipment beyond or outside these hours. Such
authorization will clearly set forth the dates and hours of the authorized use as well as
any special conditions needed to mitigate potential negative noise impacts.
Other cities in Montana including Helena, Billings, and Missoula have updated their
Construction Noise Ordinances to something similar to what NENA is requesting.
Denver's Construction Noise Ordinance allows construction between 7 a.m. and 9p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends.
Recognizing the city’s staffing shortages and difficulty with enforcement, it is felt
adding decibel monitoring to the ordinance is not necessary or possible at this time.
Recent changes in the size and scope of construction projects are impacting citizens’
lives for unusually long periods of time.
Current noise ordinance hours are outdated compared to other cities in our state and
region (with similar weather constraints and housing shortages) and strongly cater to
developers over citizens.
The city commission was requested to consider a change to the noise ordinance at
their March 23, 2021 meeting by a concerned citizen in the NE neighborhood. While
there was some forward movement to consider the ordinance change over the
ensuing months, a decision to table this consideration was made.
Doing nothing on this important issue is unacceptable to the citizens of NENA who
know firsthand how construction noise is impacting lives throughout Bozeman.
We hope that you will add the consideration of a revised Construction Noise
Ordinance to a Commission Meeting in the near future.
Thank you,
Reno Walsh
NENA President
724 N. Bozeman Ave. 406-580-5919