This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Town of
Red Hook Noise Control Law."
It is hereby declared to be the public policy of the Town to
reduce the ambient noise level in the Town, so as to preserve, protect
and promote the public health, safety and welfare, and the peace and
quiet of the inhabitants of the Town, prevent injury to human, plant
and animal life and property, foster the convenience and comfort of
its inhabitants, and facilitate the enjoyment of the natural attractions
of the Town. It is the public policy of the Town that every person
is entitled to ambient noise levels that are not detrimental to life,
health and enjoyment of his or her property. It is hereby declared
that the making, creation or maintenance of excessive or unreasonable
noises within the Town affects and is a menace to public health, comfort,
convenience, safety, welfare and the prosperity of the people of the
Town. The provisions and prohibitions hereinafter contained and enacted
are for the above-mentioned purpose. This chapter is enacted pursuant
to Municipal Home Rule Law, § 10, Subdivision 1(ii)a(11)
and (12) and 4(b).
This chapter shall be liberally construed so as to effectuate
the purposes described in this chapter. Nothing herein shall abridge
the powers and responsibilities of any police department or law enforcement
agency to enforce the provisions of this chapter. Nothing herein shall
be construed to abridge the emergency powers of any health department
or the right of such department to engage in any necessary or proper
activities.
A.
All terminology defined herein which relates to the nature of sound
and the mechanical detection and recording of sound is in conformance
with the terminology of the American National Standards Institute
(ANSI) or its successor body.
B.
AMBIENT NOISE
A-WEIGHTED SOUND LEVEL
COMMERCIAL AREA
COMMERCIAL FACILITY
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
(8)
(9)
CONSTRUCTION
CONTINUOUS SOUND
dBA
DECIBEL
DEMOLITION
EMERGENCY
EMERGENCY WARNING DEVICE
EMERGENCY WORK
EXTRANEOUS SOUND
FREQUENCY
IMPULSE SOUND
MOTOR VEHICLE
NOISE
NOISE DISTURBANCE
PEAK SOUND PRESSURE LEVEL
PERSON
PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY
PUBLIC SPACE
REAL PROPERTY LINE
RESIDENTIAL AREA
RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY
SOUND
SOUND LEVEL
SOUND LEVEL METER
SOUND PRESSURE LEVEL
SOUND-REPRODUCTION DEVICE
SOUND SOURCE
TRANSIENT SOUND
UNREASONABLE NOISE
VIBRATION
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated:
The all-encompassing noise associated with a given environment,
being usually a composite of sounds from many sources.
The sound pressure level in decibels as measured on a sound
level meter using the A-weighted network. The level so read is designated
"dBA."
A group of commercial facilities and the abutting public
right-of-way and public spaces.
Any premises, property, or facility involving traffic in
goods or furnishings of services for sale or profit, including but
not limited to:
Dining and/or drinking establishments;
Banking and other financial institutions;
Establishments for providing retail services;
Establishments for providing wholesale services;
Establishments for recreation and entertainment;
Office buildings;
Transportation;
Warehouses;
Hotels and/or motels.
Any activity necessary or incidental to the erection, demolition,
assembling, altering, installing or equipping of buildings, public
or private highways, roads, premises parks, utility lanes or other
property, including but not limited to related activities such as
land clearing, grading, earthmoving, excavating, blasting, filling
and landscaping, but not including agriculture.
Any sound that is not impulse sound.
The abbreviation designating the unit of sound level as measured
by a sound level meter using the A-weighting, also known as "dBA.".
The practical unit of measurement for sound pressure level;
the number of decibels of a measured sound is equal to 20 times the
logarithm to the base 10 of the ratio of the sound pressure of the
measured sound to the sound pressure of a standard sound (20 micropascals);
abbreviated "dB."
Any dismantling, intentional destruction, or removal of buildings
or structures.
Any occurrence or circumstances involving actual or imminent
physical or property damage which demands immediate action.
Any sound signal device that is to warn of an emergency.
Any work or action necessary to deliver essential services
including, but not limited to, repairing water, gas, electricity,
telephone, sewer facilities, or public transportation facilities,
removing fallen trees on public rights-of-ways, dredging of waterways
or abating life-threatening conditions.
A sound which neither is part of the neighborhood residual
sound nor comes from the source under investigation.
The number of sound pressure oscillations per second, expressed
in hertz; abbreviated "Hz".
Sound characterized by either a single pressure peak or a
single burst (multiple pressure peaks) having a duration of less than
one second; for example, an explosion or gunshot.
Shall include any automobile, motorcycle, truck, recreational
vehicle, all-terrain vehicle or snowmobile.
Any sounds of such level and duration as to be or tend to
be injurious to human health or welfare, or which would unreasonable
interfere with the enjoyment of life or property throughout the Town
of Red Hook.
Any sound which:
The maximum absolute value of the instantaneous sound pressure
level during a specified time interval.
Any individual, association, partnership, corporation or
other entity and includes any officer, employee, department or agency
of the above.
Any street, avenue, boulevard, road, highway, sidewalk, alley,
or boardwalk, that is leased, owned or controlled by a governmental
entity, no matter how designated.
Any real property or structure thereon that are owned, leased,
or controlled by a governmental entity.
Either:
A group of residential properties and the abutting public
rights-of-way and public spaces.
Property used for human habitation.
An oscillation in pressure, particle displacement, particle
velocity or other physical parameter, in a medium with internal forces
that causes compression and rarefaction of that medium. The description
of sound may include any characteristic of such sound, including duration,
intensity and frequency.
The weighted sound pressure level obtained by the use of
a sound level meter and frequency weighting network, such as A, B,
or C, as specified in American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
specifications for sound level meters. If the frequency weighting
employed is not indicated, the A-weighting shall apply.
Any instrument including a microphone, amplifier, an output
meter, and frequency weighting networks for the measurement of noise
and sound levels in a specific manner and which complies with standards
established by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) specifications
for sound level meters.
The level of a sound measured in dB units with a sound level
meter which has a uniform ("flat") response over the band of frequencies
measured.
Any device that is designed to be used or is actually used
for the production or reproduction of sound, including but not limited
to any amplified musical instrument, radio, televisions, tape recorder,
phonograph, loudspeaker, public-address system or any other sound-amplifying
device.
Any person, animal, device, operation, process, activity,
or phenomenon which emits or causes sound.
A sound whose level does not remain constant during measurement.
An oscillatory motion of solid bodies of deterministic or
random natures described by displacement, velocity or acceleration
with respect to a given reference point.