Noise Bylaws

Council passes bylaw to control noise

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Arran-Elderslie has passed a new noise control bylaw. The bylaw will
prohibit and regulate excessive noise and associated vibration, said
chief administrative officer/clerk A. P. Crawford.

There is no enforceable noise control bylaw in the municipality, she
said. Three pre-amalgamation bylaws for Chesley, Tara and Paisley, now
more than 10 years old “are all out of date and contain invalid
references due to amendments to provincial legislation,” she said.

The new bylaw covers everything from barking dogs and noisy vehicles
to loud parties.

Paisley ward Coun. Jack Riley called much of the new bylaw “nonsense”
saying “common sense should prevail.”

Crawford noted “not always does common sense prevail with some people.”

She said municipal staff have received “many complaints over the
spring and summer months with respect to excessive noise and has had
no standards against which to evaluate and determine if the noise is
actually excessive and therefore had no legal means to deal with
infractions.”

The new bylaw differentiates between quiet zones, residential zones
and all other zones within the municipality and provides for differing
standards within each type of zone, based on needs. It also recognizes
the requirements for farm machinery in agricultural areas.

One portion deals with noise and vibration which both Crawford and
Elderslie ward Coun. Mark Davis said could be used in council’s fight
to stop the construction of large industrial wind turbines in the
municipality.

Staff will now apply for set fines under the Provincial Offences Act
to simplify enforcement of the bylaw through the issue of infraction
notices, Crawford said.

By MARY GOLEM, SUN TIMES CORRESPONDENT

The Sun Times

www.owensoundsuntimes.com