2002-08-12 Regular Meeting, Public Hearing and Workshop Meeting

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REQ.T FOR CITY COUNCIL AGeDA ITEM Agenda Date Requested: Augu~t A 2002 Requested By: Doug Kneuppe~ Department: Planning Appropriation Source of Funds: N/A Account Number Amount Budgeted: Report: _Resolution: _Ordinance:-L Amount Requested Exhibits: NO Budgeted Item: YES 1. Proposed Noise Ordinance 2. Draft Noise Ordinance (Strike & Shade) 3. April stb Presentation Materials Summary and Recommendation At your April 8, 2002 meeting, Planning Dept. staff presented draft Noise Ordinance provisions in a workshop format. Based on general comments from Council during the workshop, the proposed Noise Ordinance has some minor modifications as depicted on the draft version that is attached, Information that may be beneficial to Council but was not discussed at the April 8th workshop is the hours that different communities have established for daytime hours and nighttime hours, The proposed ordinance, Section 34-91, establishes daytime hours from 7am to 9pm. The 9pm time matches the closing time of the City's neighborhood parks whereas our regional parks have a closing time of IOpm. CITY DAYTIME HOURS League City 6:30 am to 7:30 pm Pasadena 7:00 am to 10:00 pm Friendswood 7:00 am to 10:00 pm Seabrook 7:00 am to 10:00 pm Stafford 7:00 am to 10:00 pm A specific comment from Council was for staff to inquire how other cities dealt with mobile vendors or ice cream trucks, The proposed ordinance, Section 34-97 deals with this by requiring a permit for the use of loudspeakers and applies the daytime decibel limits to the trucks with loudspeakers. The results of our inquiry are shown here. CITY COMMENTS Texas City No decibel levels are set; city pennit is required; continuous sound is prohibited, intermittent sound is permitted; city permit is required Deer Park Completely prolubited. Pasadena Noise regulations are applied; city permit is required; no regulation on hours of operation. Seabrook No specific ordinance provisions Bay town Noise regulations are applied; city permit is required; hours of operation are from 10 a.ill. to 8 p.m. League Noise regulations are applied; no city permit required; no regulation City on hours of operation Another comment from Council was directed at BFI and the emptying of commercial dumpsters, Our current contract with BFI states that the activity of emptying commercial dumpsters shall not begin before 6:00 a,m, This is probably the latest start time that still allows BFI to complete their work in sensitive areas such as school campuses before teachers and students begin arriving. The proposed ordinance addresses the commercial trash trucks in Section 34-95 by exempting them from the requirements of the ordinance only if they are working under contract with the City. A fmal comment from Council was regarding motorcycle riding in ditch rights-of-way. Although the proposed ordinance provisions would be applicable to this activity, enforcement would be difficult. Chief Reff is considering alternatives for dealing with this activity. Action Required by Council: Consider approval of an ordinance amending Chapter 34 of the Code of Ordinances establishing better standards to deal with noise, Rr:,J. Date /