City Council OKs changes to noise laws

  • John Santana<br>Mill Creek Enterprise editor
  • Monday, March 3, 2008 11:40am

It’s going to get a little easier to get rid of any noise problems in Mill Creek neighborhoods and business districts.

At least that’s what was espoused at Tuesday’s City Council meeting from police chief Bob Crannell and city attorney Scott Missall in relation to a restructuring of fines for city noise laws that was unanimously approved.

The biggest change, Crannell and Missall said, was a provision to get a court order to force a violator to stop.

“That’s the big hammer,” Crannell said

In addition, each violation of city noise laws will be a $100 fine for each separate incident. The changes also say anyone failing to respond to a citation within 30 days can face criminal misdemeanor charges punishable by up to 30 days in jail and a maximum fine of $1,000.

The city proposed the changes following several recent noise complaints by residents. An internal study showed that the laws were “inadequate,” according to the city council summary of the changes, and the city wanted to simplify its noise laws.

“We just realized we had an enforcement issue and holes and we wanted to fix it,” Missall said.

City Council debate on the issue was minimal, as six of the seven members voted in favor of the changes. Mayor Pro-tem Terry Ryan missed the meeting because of a work-related conflict, Mayor Donna Michelson said.

The changes will take effect Friday, Nov. 3.

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