Whereas excessive sound is a serious hazard
to the public health, welfare, safety and the quality of life; and
whereas a substantial body of science and technology exists by which
excessive sound may be substantially abated; and whereas the people
have a right to and should be ensured an environment free from excessive
sound, now therefore, it is the policy of the Township of Saddle Brook
to prevent excessive sound that may jeopardize the health, welfare
or safety of the citizens or degrade the quality of life.
This chapter shall apply to the control of sound
originating from stationary sources within the limits of the Township
of Saddle Brook.
As used in this chapter, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
COMMERCIAL AREA
A group of commercial facilities and the abutting public
rights-of-way and public spaces.
COMMERCIAL FACILITY
Any premises, property or facility involving traffic in goods
or furnishing of services for sale or profit, including but not limited
to:
A.
Banking and other financial institutions.
C.
Establishments for providing retail services.
D.
Establishments for providing wholesale services.
E.
Establishments for recreation and entertainment.
CONSTRUCTION
Any site preparation, assembly, erection, repair, alteration
or similar action but excluding demolition of buildings or structures.
DECIBEL (dB)
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."
DEMOLITION
Any dismantling, intentional destruction or removal of buildings
or structures.
EMERGENCY WORK
Any work or action necessary to deliver essential services,
including but not limited to repairing water, gas, electricity, telephone
or sewer facilities or public transportation facilities, removing
fallen trees on public rights-of-way or abating life-threatening conditions.
INDUSTRIAL FACILITY
Any activity and its related premises, property, facilities
or equipment involving the fabrication, manufacture or production
of durable or nondurable goods.
MOTOR VEHICLE
Any vehicle that is propelled or drawn on land by an engine
or motor.
MUFFLER
A sound-dissipative device or system for abating the sound
of escaping gases of an internal-combustion engine.
NOISE
Any sounds of such level and duration as to be or tend to
be injurious to human health or welfare or which would unreasonably
interfere with the enjoyment of life or property throughout the Township
or in any portions thereof, but excludes all aspects of the employer-employee
relationship concerning health and safety hazards within the confines
of a place of employment.
NOISE CONTROL ADMINISTRATOR
The Noise Control Officer designated as the official liaison
with all municipal departments, empowered to grant permits for variances.
NOISE CONTROL OFFICER
An officially designated employee of the municipality, of
a group of municipalities or of the county trained in the measurement
of sound and empowered to issue a summons for violations of this chapter.
NOISE DISTURBANCE
Any sound that endangers the safety or health of any person
or that disturbs a reasonable person of normal sensitivities or that
endangers personal or real property.
PERSON
Any individual, corporation, company, association, society,
firm, partnership, joint-stock company, the state or any political
subdivision, agency or instrumentality of the state.
PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY
Any street, avenue, boulevard, road, highway, sidewalk or
alley that is leased, owned or controlled by a governmental entity.
PUBLIC SPACE
Any real property or structures thereon that are owned, leased
or controlled by a governmental entity.
REAL PROPERTY LINE
Either the imaginary line, including its vertical extension,
that separates one parcel of real property from another, or the vertical
and horizontal boundaries of a dwelling unit that is one in a multi-dwelling-unit
building.
RESIDENTIAL AREA
A group of residential properties and the abutting public
rights-of-way and public spaces.
RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY
Property used for human habitation, including but not limited
to:
A.
Private property used for human habitation.
B.
Commercial living accommodations and commercial
property used for human habitation.
C.
Recreational and entertainment property used
for human habitation.
D.
Community service property used for human habitation.
SOUND LEVEL
The sound pressure level measured in decibels with a sound-level
meter set for A-weighting; "sound level" is expressed in dBA.
SOUND-LEVEL METER
An instrument used to measure sound level and that conforms
to Type 1 or Type 2 standards as specified by ANSI Specification S1.4-1971.
WEEKDAY
Any day, Monday through Friday, that is not a legal holiday.
Violation of any provision of this chapter shall
be cause for a summons to be issued by the Noise Control Officer.
No provisions of this chapter shall be construed
to impair any common law or statutory cause of action, or legal remedy
therefrom, of any person for injury or damage arising from any violation
of this chapter or from other law.
Table I
Maximum Permissible Sound Levels by Receiving Property
Category
(in dBAs)
|
---|
|
Receiving Property Category
|
---|
|
Another Dwelling Within a Multi-Dwelling-Unit
Building
|
Residential
|
Commercial
|
Industrial
|
---|
Sound Source Property Category
|
7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
|
10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
|
7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
|
10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
|
All Times
|
All Times
|
---|
Any location in a multi-dwelling-unit building
|
45
|
40
|
55
|
50
|
65
|
75
|
Residential
|
|
55
|
50
|
65
|
75
|
|
Commercial or public spaces or rights-of-way
|
|
65
|
50
|
65
|
75
|
|
Industrial
|
|
65
|
50
|
65
|
75
|
|