[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee
of the Township of Maplewood as indicated in article histories. Amendments
noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 12-3-1974 by Ord. No. 1438 as
Section 3-3 of the 1974 Revised General Ordinances; amended in its
entirety 11-8-2023 by Ord. No. 3110-23]
It shall be unlawful for a person or business establishment
to make, continue or cause to be made or continued any loud, unnecessary
or unusual noise or any noise which does or is likely to annoy, disturb,
injure or endanger the comfort, repose, health, peace or safety of
others.
A.Â
Without intending to limit the generality of § 181-1, the following acts are hereby declared to be examples of loud, disturbing and unnecessary noise in violation of this article:
(1)Â
Radios; televisions; phonographs; live music: the playing, use or
operation of any radio-receiving set, television, musical instrument,
phonograph, other machine or device, orchestra, disc jockey for the
producing or reproducing of sound in such manner as to disturb the
peace, quiet and comfort of neighboring inhabitants or with louder
volume than is necessary for convenient hearing for persons who are
in the room, vehicle or chamber in which the machine or device is
operated and who are voluntary listeners. The operation of such a
set, instrument, phonograph, machine or device between the hours of
11:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. so that it is clearly audible at a distance
of 100 feet from the building, structure or vehicle in which it is
located shall be prima facie evidence of a violation of this article.
(2)Â
Yelling; shouting: yelling, shouting, hooting, whistling or singing
on the public streets, particularly between the hours of 11:00 p.m.
and 8:00 a.m., or at any time or place, which annoys or disturbs the
quiet, comfort or repose of persons in any office, dwelling, hotel,
motel or other type of residence or of any persons in the vicinity.
(3)Â
Animals; birds: the keeping of animals or birds which, by causing
frequent or long-continued noise, disturbs the comfort or repose of
any person in the vicinity.
(4)Â
Horns: the sounding of a horn or warning device on an automobile,
motorcycle, bus or other vehicle, except when required by law or when
necessary to give timely warning of the approach of the vehicle or
as a warning of impending danger to persons driving other vehicles
or to persons on the street. No person shall sound a horn or warning
device on an automobile, motorcycle, bus or other vehicle which emits
an unreasonably loud or harsh sound or for an unnecessary or unreasonable
period of time.
(5)Â
Exhaust: the discharge into the open air of the exhaust of a steam
engine, stationary internal-combustion engine or motor vehicle, except
through a muffler or other device which will effectively prevent loud
or explosive noises.
(6)Â
Defect in vehicle or load: the use of an automobile, motorcycle or
vehicle so out of repair or so loaded that it creates loud and unnecessary
grating, grinding, rattling or other noise.
(7)Â
Construction or repair. Excavation, demolition, construction, repair,
or alteration work shall be conducted only between the hours of 7:00
a.m. and 8:00 p.m. on weekdays, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and
6:00 p.m. on Saturdays and between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 6:00
p.m. on Sundays. In case of urgent necessity or in the interests of
public health or safety, the Director of Public Works may grant a
permit for excavation, demolition, construction, repair of streets,
sidewalks and bridges or alteration work for a period necessary to
complete said work.
(8)Â
Schools; courts; churches; hospitals: the creation of excessive noise
on a street adjacent to a school, institution of learning, church
or court while in use or adjacent to a hospital, which unreasonably
interferes with the working of the institution or which disturbs or
unduly annoys patients in the hospital, provided that conspicuous
signs are displayed in such a street indicating that it is a school,
hospital or court street.
(9)Â
Equipment having constantly running engines.
(a)Â
No person, enterprise or business, whether for the purpose of
home maintenance, lawn care, vehicle maintenance or any similar service,
which uses equipment that has a constant running engine producing
excessive noise may begin work prior to 7:30 a.m. and after 8:00 p.m.
on weekdays, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on Saturdays
and between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on Sundays. All work
must be completed on those days by 8:00 p.m. No work shall take place
before 11:00 a.m. and must cease by 6:00 p.m. on Sundays.
(b)Â
Any work performed by the Township of Maplewood, the County
of Essex or the State of New Jersey and any emergency utility work
are exempt from this requirement.
B.Â
The above enumeration is intended to give typical illustrations of
prohibited noise and shall not be construed as exclusive.
Nothing herein contained shall be construed to apply to:
A.Â
The use of bells, chimes or sound amplifiers by churches engaged
in church activities.
B.Â
Activities of municipal departments in the performance of their duties,
drills or public demonstrations.
C.Â
Activities in public parks, playgrounds or public buildings under
permission or authority of municipal officials.
