WARREN COUNTY — Making too much noise in an Ohio community could now cost you.
The Clearcreek Township Board of Trustees passed the resolution at a meeting last week, according to a spokesperson from the township.
They banned ‘unreasonable noise’ on properties in their unincorporated areas.
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According to the resolution, “no person shall make, generate, permit to allow a loud or raucous noise in the unincorporated territory of the township in such a manner as to disturb the peace and quiet of surrounding properties, or otherwise be detrimental to any individual’s life and health.”
There are two separate decibel thresholds for the daytime hours and the nighttime hours:
- 85 decibels from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
- 50 decibels from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
50 decibels is about the sound of a refrigerator according to Yale Environmental Health & Safety.
85 decibels is about the noise level of city traffic, according to Yale.
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There are some exceptions to the thresholds, which include, but are not limited to, emergency vehicles, power tools, lawn equipment, manufacturing equipment and fireworks.
“The motor vehicle stereo limits are from a distance of 100’ and relies on the ‘person of ordinary sensibilities’ standard to determine if the noise is ‘loud or raucous,’” a spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said the ordinance was developed to protect the public’s peace and welfare in the township.
People who break the ordinance could face criminal or civil citations, according to the spokesperson.
A criminal penalty is a second-degree misdemeanor that carries fines that gradually increase to $750 per occurrence, according to the spokesperson. The first offense is a $100 fine.
Civil penalty fines range from $100 for a first offence to $1,000 for the fourth or greater citation per calendar year.
The spokesperson said the trustees hosted several public input sessions and looked into similar legislation before they ratified the ordinance.
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