Des Plaines staff and officials say they plan to use sound meters in an effort to enforce newly proposed noise regulations.
Changes to the city’s decades-old rules stem from recent and ongoing noise complaints in the city, including controversy over the noise emitted from a 6,000-square-foot tent at the Fountain Blue banquet hall on Mannheim Road, in addition to noise complaints related to late night music at the Black Ram restaurant on Oakton Street, said the city’s director of economic and community development George Sakas in a recent interview.
Des Plaines City Council members voted unanimously to approve the new noise ordinance, with several amendments, in a first reading.
The existing regulations regarding noise in the city code and zoning ordinance date back to 1956 and 1963, said Scott Mangum, senior planner for the city.
The current standard dictates that detectable should noise not cross over a resident’s property line, a rule that Mangum and Sakas describe in a memo to the council as vulnerable to challenge for being “overly restrictive.”
Ald. James Brookman, 5th, described the proposed changes to the city’s noise regulations as an improvement on the existing rules, both in terms of how noise is measured and how the code is enforced.
The new rules stipulate that sound level meters meeting American National Standard Institute requirements will be used to measure noise levels, and only police department personnel and other city employees trained to use the devices will be allowed to operate the meters.
So-called quiet hours will begin at 10 p.m. and end at 7 a.m. Monday through Saturday. Staff members initially recommended quiet hours range from 11 p.m. to 9 a.m. on Sundays and holidays, but council members unanimously voted to change the morning hour to 10 a.m. to match the existing regulations.
During quiet hours, excessive noise is defined as sound that exceeds 50 decibels measured at or beyond an individual’s property line or 40 decibels as measured from inside another structure.
Excessive noise outside of quiet hours is defined as 65 decibels measured at or beyond a property line and 55 decibels measured from within a building.
Similar measurements are used to define excessive noise from a mobile sound source, which includes sound emitted from vehicles on the road.
Exemptions for construction work and city-sponsored celebrations also are included within the new regulations.
Police Chief William Kushner said the police department would need to purchase about 10 sound meters. In an interview following the meeting, Sakas said the meters would be included in upcoming city budget discussions.
The new rules also aim to regulate music emitted from a business or neighboring party.
Under the new regulations, amplified sound that crosses a property line and is measured at three decibels above ambient noise levels during quiet hours would be considered unlawful. Sound that exceeds six decibels over ambient noise levels at all other times would also be considered a violation of the rules.
To determine the ambient noise level in an area, Sakas said staff members would measure sound levels during daytime hours over the course of several days.
Brookman said that police officers would likely not have a specific area’s ambient noise level measurements at the ready if they were called to investigate a noise complaint.
Sakas said he believes most noise complaints would be resolved without incident.
The application for the ambient sound level measurements “is for chronic cases of too much noise and disturbing the peace,” he said.
Two residents attended the meeting to complain about chronic noise from a playground at the Science and Arts Academy located near the intersection of Miner Street and Mason Lane.
“I’d like to see these measurements strictly enforced because our peace and tranquillity is gone during the weekdays school is in session,” said Mason Lane resident Bill Maher.
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Council members directed staff to look into the situation with the school.
Ald. Michael Charewicz, 8th, said the complaint outlined by the two residents may prove to be “the first success story” for the new ordinance.
Referring to the new noise rules, Charewicz said “this is going to solve an awful lot of problems.”