Addressing Noise Problems in Concord

On Monday evening, January 5, 2009, the City Council will consider a staff report about noise control measures requested by Councilmember Helen Allen.  The report explains what is currently done to address noise issues in the City and provides a summary matrix of how 20 other jurisdictions in the East Bay handle noise problems.  The report also points out that the remedy for most noise issues is already covered by State Law or the current Municipal Code.  For instance, Concord treats repeated sound amplification as disturbing the peace – if two or more neighbors complain.

  
The issue I'm most familiar with is "thumping".  That's when your home vibrates from the woofer in the trunk of the car parked on your street.  You go outside and the music may not really be that loud or loud at all, but your house is still shaking and humming to a distinctive beat.

Read the report and let me know what you think in comments.  Or send an email to the entire Council at citycouncil@ci.concord.ca.us.  Or attend the Council meeting – it begins at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall, 1950 Parkside Drive.

Please note: I reserve the right to delete comments that are offensive or off-topic.

  • ConcordMike

    Guy,

    I read the staff report on noise. I would suggest that noise issues/complaints of every kind could be handled effectively by non-sworn staff members at lower cost and with greater consistency.

    Yes, noise is a problem. However, sending out sworn officers on most of these complaints is not an effective use of police officers time.

  • Guy Bjerke

    ConcordMike-

    Thanks for the comment. I’ll ask how often non-sworn staff are, or can be, used for these purposes.

  • http://profile.typepad.com/6p010536224183970c Rob

    The staff report is not accurately stating what the enforcement practices are. We had chronic loud party house on my street. Many times two or more neighbors complained and the cops never showed up at all and if they do show up, they just break up the party. Never has anyone been cited or arrested for having a loud party at that house. The standard response from the dispatchers is that there are no officers available to respond.

  • http://profile.typepad.com/guybjerke Guy Bjerke

    Rob-

    I hope the occupants of that “loud party house” have moved on. I understand your frustration and I think the Council’s discussion of this topic last Monday night has given the Chief direction to step up our enforcement on noise issues. While there are other higher priority calls for our police officers – I know they do their best to respond as quickly as possible. Thanks for commenting.

  • http://profile.typepad.com/guybjerke Guy Bjerke

    ConcordMike-

    At Monday night’s meeting (Jan 5) I asked the Chief about the use of non-sworn officers and was told that noise disturbances often develop from criminal activities – so for safety reasons sworn officers respond; and vehicle stops must be made by sworn officers. Again, thanks for commenting.

  • Karlene Ochoa

    Dear Vice Mayor Bjerke,

    This is another one of my favorite issues here in lovely Canterbury Village. We, in addition to several other issues, have a “noise problem”. We also have several houses with small children trying to sleep.

    I tried to access the Staff Report but it appears that the link is broken. Could you please fix the link?

    Thanks so much,

    Your Good Friend OhMy

  • http://profile.typepad.com/guybjerke Guy Bjerke

    Karlene,

    The link should be fixed now. Not sure why the link URL changed. Thanks for pointing it out to me.

  • Karlene Ochoa

    Thank you for fixing the link. The report made for very interesting reading. It would appear that currently we depend on the state code for “noise” enforcement, which considering the total calls made regarding noise was only 2.4%, could be adequate. However, given that most of this states an officer must be present to cite the offender the actual enforcement will be almost negligent.

    As a community, how can the citizens help in this effort. I speak directly to the “modified” muffler issue (the “boom box cars” drive me nuts, but they will pay the price when they can no longer hear). Is there a process we can follow to report these vehicles?

    We do have roosters, but far be it from me to complain and be the direct instigator of the removal of Mary Lou Who’s pet chicken.