The Town Council hereby finds and declares that:
A.
Excessive noise is a serious hazard to public health and welfare
and the quality of life in the Town of East Greenwich.
B.
A substantial body of science and technology exists by which excessive
noise can be substantially abated without serious inconvenience to
the public.
C.
Certain of the noise-producing equipment in this community is essential
to the quality of life herein and should be allowed to continue at
reasonable levels with moderate regulation.
D.
Each person has a right to an environment reasonably free from noise
which jeopardizes health or welfare or unnecessarily degrades the
quality of life.
E.
It is the declared policy of the Town of East Greenwich to promote
an environment free from excessive noise (otherwise properly called
noise pollution), which unnecessarily jeopardizes the health and welfare
and degrades the quality of the lives of the residents of this Town
without unduly prohibiting, limiting or otherwise regulating the function
of certain noise-producing equipment which is not amenable to such
controls and yet is essential to the quality of life in the community.
For the purposes of this chapter, certain terms shall have the
meanings ascribed to them in this section, unless the context clearly
indicates otherwise:
The all-encompassing noise associated with a given environment,
exclusive of a particular noise being tested, being usually a composite
of sounds from many sources, near and far, exclusive of intruding
noises from isolated identifiable sources.
A unit of measure often used in describing the amplitude
of sound which denotes the ratio between two quantities which are
proportional to power; the number of decibels corresponding to the
ratio of two amounts of power is 10 times the logarithm to the base
10 of this ratio.
Work made necessary to restore property to a safe condition
following a public calamity, or work required to protect persons or
property from an imminent exposure to danger, or work by private or
public utilities when restoring utility service.
The maximum sound level that may be lawfully made pursuant to this chapter, and any sound exceeding this sound level is punishable pursuant to § 152-5.
Includes, but is not limited to, minibikes and go-carts.
The sound measured with the "A" weighting, as set forth herein and slow response (one-second averaging) by a sound-level meter, except as set forth in § 152-9D for licensing of amplified sound equipment by an entertainment license holder.
[Amended 4-24-2023 by Ord. No. 915]
Any motor vehicle or any other vehicle regardless of motive
power, whether in motion or stationary, having mounted thereon or
attached thereto any sound-amplifying equipment.
Any machine or device for the amplification of the human
voice, music or any other sound. Sound-amplifying equipment shall
not include standard automobile radios when used and heard only by
the occupants of the vehicle in which the automobile radio is installed.
Sound-amplifying equipment as used in this chapter shall not include
warning devices on any vehicle used only for traffic safety purposes.
An instrument, including a microphone, amplifier, RMS detector,
integrator or time averager, output or display meter, and weighting
networks, used to measure sound pressure levels, which complies with
ANSI Standard 1.4-1971, as the same may be revised.
The Town of East Greenwich, Rhode Island.
[Amended 4-24-2023 by Ord. No. 915]
Any sound level measurement made pursuant to the provisions of this chapter shall be measured with a sound-level meter using the "A" weighting with a one-minute Leq (equivalent continuous sound level), except as set forth in § 152-9D for licensing of amplified sound equipment by an entertainment license holder.
A.
The noise levels listed in this section shall be the maximum permitted
sound levels used for the purposes of this chapter, unless another
maximum permitted sound level is provided for in this chapter:
|
Zoning District
|
Time
|
Sound Level
(dbA)
|
|---|---|---|
|
R-6, R-10, R-20, R-30
|
10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
|
55
|
|
R-6, R-10, R-20, R-30
|
7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
|
60
|
|
F, F-1, F-2
|
10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
|
55
|
|
F, F-1, F-2
|
7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
|
60
|
|
CD, CL, CH
|
10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
|
65
|
|
CD, CL, CH
|
7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
|
70
|
|
W
|
10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
|
65
|
|
W
|
7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
|
70
|
|
M
|
Any time
|
75
|
B.
Irrespective of zoning district, these maximum permitted sound levels and times shall apply to property located east of the railroad tracks, north of Rocky Hollow Road, and bounded by the East Greenwich Cove and the East Greenwich Town line (hereinafter referred to as the "Waterfront Area"). As provided in § 152-5, sound in excess of these stated limits shall constitute a violation of this chapter. Sound-amplifying equipment may only be operated out of doors in the Waterfront Area during the dates and hours stated below. The maximum permitted sound limits are as follows:
[Amended 4-24-2017 by Ord. No. 867; 4-24-2023 by Ord. No. 915]
(1)
From Friday of Memorial Day weekend to the end of Labor Day weekend:
|
Day
|
Time
|
Sound Level
(dbA)
|
|---|---|---|
|
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday
|
6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
|
65
|
|
Thursday
|
8:00 p.m. to 12:00 midnight
|
65
|
|
Friday
|
5:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.
|
65
|
|
Saturday
|
2:00 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.
|
65
|
|
Sunday*
|
2:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
|
65
|
|
Monday holidays
|
2:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
|
65
|
|
*
|
Except on holiday weekends: 12:00 midnight
|
(2)
Then, from the Labor Day weekend to the last weekend of September:
|
Sound Level
(dbA)
| ||
|---|---|---|
|
Thursday
|
7:00 p.m. to 12:00 midnight
|
65
|
|
Friday
|
7:00 p.m. to 12:00 midnight
|
65
|
|
Saturday
|
7:00 p.m. to 12:00 midnight
|
65
|
|
Sunday
|
4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
|
65
|
A.
No person or entity shall make, continue or cause to be made or continued,
unless as herein permitted, any sound exceeding the maximum permitted
sound level at the property line of any adjoining property, including
a public street or, if a condominium or apartment house, at the common
wall of any adjoining dwelling unit.
B.
Any person found in violation of any provision of this chapter shall,
upon conviction, be punished by a fine of up to $500 for each offense.
Any holder of any Town-issued license may be summoned for a show-cause
hearing as to why said license should not be suspended or revoked,
if found in violation of this chapter. Any entertainment license holder
suffering a suspension of said entertainment license shall have such
suspension carried over into a future year if the license is seasonal
in nature.
C.
Any violation of this chapter is declared to be a public nuisance
and shall also be subject to abatement summarily by a restraining
order or injunction issued by a court of competent jurisdiction.
The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to:
A.
The emission of sound for the purpose of alerting persons to the
existence of an emergency;
B.
The emission of sound in the performance of emergency work;
C.
Noncommercial public speaking and public assembly activities conducted
on any private property, public space or public right-of-way;
D.
The emission of sound in the performance of governmental military
operations;
E.
The emission of sound in the discharge of weapons or in fireworks
displays licensed by the Town;
F.
The emission of sound in the operation of snow removal equipment;
G.
The emission of sound relative to permitted construction and demolition
activities, provided that such activities do not occur between 9:00
p.m. and 7:00 a.m.; and
H.
The emission of sound by a train that is in motion through the Town.
