PORT ANGELES — The Clallam County sheriff wants y’all to quiet down, y’heah? Y’heah? I said, Y’HEAH? That’s better.
The sheriff’s new anti-commotion ordinance, which still is being amended, would outlaw “public disturbance noises” such as those from a dirt bike, a garage band or a boom box in an inappropriate place.
Clallam County commissioners could receive and review the proposed law next week.
It establishes a 90-day jail term or $250 fine for violations.
The ordinance is more complex than someone simply deciding his next-door neighbor’s party is too loud.
It establishes three classes of “environmental designations for noise abatement,” or EDNAs:
* Rural, residential, and resort neighborhoods.
* Commercial, open space, and mixed-use zones.
* Industrial areas, commercial forests, and airports.
The ordinance sets limits for each EDNA where noise originates and for each class of property where it’s heard.
Briefly, they range from 55 decibels — dBA — for residential-to-residential noise to 70 dBA for industrial-to-industrial racket.
The noise limits are reduced by 10 dBA between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. in rural/residential areas.
Whatever the time, they may not be exceeded by 5 dBA for 15 minutes in any one hour, 10 dBA for five minutes or 15 dBA for 90 seconds.
There are, of course, exceptions, the most obvious being safety devices, first responders’ sirens, and church bells.
Also exempt from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. are construction sounds, shooting at authorized ranges, utility repairs, and blasting.
Exempt except from rural/residential areas between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. are tree cutting, auto races at authorized facilities, and hunting.
People who simply cannot keep the cacophony down for good reasons can seek variances from the county Department of Community Development.
