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HomeMy WebLinkAboutA022 - letter from Marilyn Kollasch about noise issues .4.. 9 2817 Oakland Ames, Iowa 50010 August 4, 1983 Mayor Paul t>oodland and Members of the City Council Ames, Iowa 50010 Dear Mayor Goodland and Members of the City Council: I am aware of the efforts you have made within the past year to pass a noise ordinance that would protect the rights of Ames residents. From what I've read and heard this was a challenging process and I wish to thank and commend you for your work. I would also like to relate a problem which has arisen as I have sought the protection of this law. I live in an eclectic neighborhood comprised of students, single working people, senior citizens, and families. Druing the past two months music from a stereo has interrupted sleep for my husband and me on many occasions. The house in question is located across the street and one house down from us. Throughout the summer we would phone our neighbors once or twice a week to ask them to turn their stereo down. Sometimes we would call twice in one night. On several occasions we were roused awake at 3:00, 4:00, and 6:00 A.M. Whenever we called, the neighbors apologized and promised to be quieter. However, the neat week the situation seemed to be worse than before. Finally, I felt I1d tried as hard. as I reason- ably could to secure cooperation. M.asperated, I said Ild have to call the police. Our neighbors, perhaps curious to know the maximum decibels the law would allow, called the police themselves. I observed from my bedroom window as the officer measured the sound coming from the stereo. The music was so loud that I could hear plainly the words of the song. hater I was told that the noise had been measured at 53 decibels. This level of sound, according to the new ordinance is legal all night long° Apalled, I solicited the help of Paul Wenbert. He asked the Chief of Police to look into the matter. That day the batteries in the noise meters were changed. On that evening, July 26, when the music was up to its usual level I requested that an officer come out to measure it. Once again, I observed as the measurement was taken, this time with the use of a windscreen. Once again, the words of the song were plainly audible from inside my home. Captain Ball called me after the measurement was 'taken and told me that the sound had reached 54 decibels. I was amazed and very disappointed! I realized that unless there was some other technical error with the noise meter, the present Ames City Code does not protect the basic human right of a quiet night1s sleep. RECEIVED AUG 8 1983 CIT-t UE AMES L According to the records of the March 28, 1983 City Council meeting a demonstration of the noise meter was given. In this demonstration a council member spoke with a normal voice volume. The noise meter, situated approximately 25 feet away, recorded the voice at 60 plus decibels. I fail to understand how sound coming from across the street and one house down (more than 100 feet from my bedroom) could only reach the 54 decibel level when measured from the nearest city property. I am asking that the City Council take another look at the noise ordinance recently passed. Were tests of the 55 decibel limit made in actual neighborhoods, anticipating seasonal conditions during which windows are often opened? Apparently the noise meter demonstrated in the council chambers was picking up more sound than it would have outdoors. Also, was any consideration given to the fact that many people azl-lse at 6:00 or 6:30 A.M.? If the lower decibel limit only goes into effect at midnight, these folks would get at most 6ihours of undisturbed sleep. Many of us tend to wake up groggy unless we've had more sleep than that. Wouldn't a more sensible ordinance have the sleeping hours start at an earlier time to allow for more peaceful sleep? I am not taking issue with daytime decibel limits, nor am I wishing to question the practice of granting noise permits. I am only asking that the City Council reconsider the ordinance as it affects the ability of Ames residents to sleep peacefully at night. Is this not a, basic human ri,r;ht? When a student who lives in an apartment in my neighborhood yelled obscenities at the annoying stereo which had interrupted her early morning sleep, I began to wonder what rights the new law was protecting. Another neighbor who recently completed a master bedroom addition has had to sleep in the basement because of intolerable noise. Others have had to endure the expense of running air conditioners all night when they other- wise might have chosen to open windows and enjoy the cooler night air. Some of us do not own central air conditioning systems. It seems unreason- able to be forced to install one because of excessively high sound levels at night. More reasonable, in my opinion, would be a change in the law. I know that you have already worked many hours on this issue. However, I hope that after what I have shared you will conclude, as I have, that the present noise ordinance merits some revision. Respectfully, / �21yn Ko asch