[Ord. of 2-12-1961, § 1; Ord. No. 93-4, 12-1-1993]
A.
"Disorderly conduct" is hereby defined as any act, word or conduct
causing or tending to cause any disturbance of the peace and good
order of the Township, or causing or tending to cause, any danger,
discomfort or annoyance to the inhabitants of the Township, and/or
users of the Township thoroughfares, and shall include loafing, fighting,
drunkenness, vagrancy, begging, profanity or indecent language or
act, the making or causing to be made any noise disturbances, clamor,
or other sounds tending to disturbances across residential real property
boundaries, and the carrying on of any business, trade, transportation,
recreation or amusement at a time, in a place, or in a manner which
causes any unnecessary noise or disturbance, or danger, and shall
include reckless or careless driving, or any other use of vehicles
or animals by owners, occupants or users thereof, as shall endanger
the safety or interfere with the comfort and convenience of persons
using or residing on the thoroughfares of the Township.
B.
All noise disturbances or other sounds shall be considered to be
unnecessary and to constitute disorderly conduct, even thought they
are no louder than is customary and are the unavoidable sounds or
noises attendant upon the ordinary use and occupation of the premises,
or attendant upon the ordinary operation or performance of business,
transportation, trade, recreation or amusement, if they are made on
Sunday or on weekdays between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.
C.
"Noise disturbances" mean any sound which (1) endangers or injures
the safety or health of humans or animals; (2) annoys or disturbs
a reasonable person of normal sensitivity; or (3) endangers or injures
personal or real property.
D.
"Real property boundary" means the property line along the ground
surface, at its vertical extension which separates the real property
owner by one person from that owner by another person, but not including
intra-building real property divisions.
E.
"Residential area" means single-family, two-family and multifamily
zoning district classifications.
[Ord. of 2-12-1961, § 1; Ord. No. 93-4, 12-1-1993]
B.
Except in the case of residential fuel deliveries, trash and garbage
pickup or an emergency situation which is defined as an event which
involves an anticipated, reasonably foreseeable risk of life or property
loss, no person shall carry on any activity at any time or in any
manner which causes unnecessary annoyance or disturbs the peace and
quiet of the immediate neighborhood or creates a noise disturbance
across a residential real property boundary.
[Ord. of 2-12-1961, § 2; Ord. No. 93-4, 12-1-1993]
Without in any manner intending to limit or restrict the generality of the definition of, and prohibition against, "disorderly conduct," in Sections 13-1 and 13-2, the following are hereby declared to constitute disorderly conduct:
A.
Unnecessary Sounding of Automobile Horns, Etc. The unnecessary sounding
of motor vehicle horns, sirens, bells, whistles, alarms, or other
warning devices, the operation of any motor vehicle which makes any
unnecessary or unusual noise caused by the removal of or improper
operation of the muffler or the backfire or racing of such motor in
or about the operation of such motor vehicle. The operators of motor
vehicles and the handler of animals shall at all times exercise due
care and foresight in the operation and handling and shall not substitute
the sounding or warnings for careful driving and the maintenance of
proper control over their respective vehicles or animals. The term
"motor vehicle" in this section shall include automobiles, trucks,
motorcycles, or other motor vehicles. It is not intended hereby to
prohibit the use of such warning devices in emergencies or at times
when the exercise of good judgment a prudent operator would use such
devices.
[Amended 6-3-2020 by Ord.
No. 2020-03]
B.
Keeping or Handling of Dogs, Etc. The keeping or handling of dogs
or other animals, chickens or other fowl or birds under such conditions,
or lack of control, or in such a manner that by barking, crowing or
otherwise, they disturb the peace, safety and quiet of the immediate
neighborhood.
C.
Operations of Radios, Etc. The operation of radios, stereos, televisions, musical instruments, sound amplifiers, or similar type of device which creates, reproduces or amplifies sound, or singing or shouting, in a manner which unnecessarily disturbs the peace and quiet of the immediate neighborhood or creates a noise disturbance which is plainly audible at a distance of at least 25 feet from the source of the noise, unless a person or head of household applies for and obtains a signed exemption form from the Township Manager establishing the exact date(s) and time(s) in which the conduct is exempt from this section and not punishable pursuant to § 13-4 and such person or head of household can produce the signed exemption form at the time of the investigation of the alleged conduct.
[Amended 6-3-2020 by Ord.
No. 2020-03]
D.
Loading, Unloading and Delivery of Coal, Oil, Etc. The loading, unloading and delivery of coal or oil or other materials, merchandise or commercial products at a time of the day or night which unnecessarily disturbs the peace and quiet of the immediate neighborhood or creates a noise disturbance across a residential real property boundary, except for emergency situations as defined in Section 13-2(b).
E.
Discharging Air Guns, Firearms, Etc. Discharging in the Township
of air guns, spring guns, rifles or firearms of any kind of character
whatsoever or any other device that discharges projectiles of any
king; except the discharging of a shot gun at such places and such
times as authorized by state law in connection with game regulations,
or the discharge of shot guns at a shooting skeet or target competition
authorized and licensed through the police department two weeks prior
to the scheduled match.
F.
Loitering, Etc. Loafing, loitering, lounging, or congregating on
the street corners, or in front of, or about any place of business,
or other public place in the Township.
G.
Acting in Loud, Boisterous Manner, Etc. Acting in, and about the
streets or other public places of the Township in a noisy, loud, boisterous
and unseemly manner or in such manner as to disturb the peace and
quiet of the community.
H.
Standing Motor Vehicles. The operation or permitting the operation of any motor vehicle or any auxiliary equipment attached to such a vehicle, for a period longer than 10 minutes in any hour while the vehicle is stationary for reasons other than traffic congestion, on a public right-of-way or public space within 150 feet of a residential area between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. the following day and creates a noise disturbance across a residential real property boundary. In addition, no person shall operate or permit the operation of any motor vehicle or any auxiliary equipment attached to such a vehicle, for a period in excess of 10 minutes in any hour while the vehicle is stationary in a residential area on a private right-of-way or private property within any residential area within West Pottsgrove Township at any time and which creates a noise disturbance across a residential real property boundary. This prohibition shall not apply to the loading and unloading of commercial vehicles in a residential zone, providing that such loading and unloading shall not occur at any time on Sundays or the holidays of Christmas Day, New Year's Day, Thanksgiving, July Fourth or Labor Day, or between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. on all other days, except where an emergency situation exist as defined in Section 13-2(b).
I.
Construction. The operation or permitting the operation of any tool
or equipment used in construction, drilling or demolition work between
the hours of 7:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., such that the sound therefrom
creates a noise disturbance across a residential real property boundary,
except for emergency work or public utilities or by special variance.
This paragraph shall not apply to the use of domestic power tools,
such as mechanically powered saws, drills, sanders, grinders, lawn
and garden tools, lawn mowers or other similar devices used outdoors
in the normal course of residential maintenance or repair.
[Ord. of 2-12-1961, § 3; Ord. of 9-6-1967; Ord. of 8-6-1969; Ord. No. 86-5, §§ 1C, 2, 10-1-1986]
Any person found guilty of violating any of the provisions of this chapter and/or article shall be guilty of a summary offense and upon conviction thereof shall be punished as prescribed in Section 1-9.
[Ord. of 7-3-1968, § 1]
It shall be unlawful for any person to discharge on streets,
alleys or any public or private property within the limits of the
Township, a flobert rifle, air guns, spring gun, or any implement
which impels with force a metal pellet of any kind.
[Ord. of 7-3-1968, § 2]
It is prohibited for any person to knowingly and willfully sell
or cause to be sold to any person under the age of 16 years any flobert
rifle, air gun, spring gun, or any implement which impels with force
a metal pellet of any kind.
[Ord. of 7-3-1968, § 2]
It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly and willfully
sell or cause to be sold, to any person under 16 years of age, any
deadly weapon, or knowingly or willfully to sell or cause to be sold
to any such minor any cartridge, gun powder or other dangerous and
explosive substance.
[Ord. of 7-3-1968, § 3]
[Ord. No. 74-3, 2-6-1974]
No person shall smoke or carry alighted cigar, cigarette, pipe,
or match, or use any spark, flame, or fire-producing device in the
following places:
Township Buildings: All Township municipal office buildings,
or other buildings, auditoria, or public meeting place.
