Moorestown Looks To Crack Down On Noise After Complaints

MOORESTOWN, NJ — Moorestown Council is looking at ways to enforce a noise ordinance after receiving complaints from residents about noise emanating from construction and landscaping projects, as well as from commercial businesses, township officials said.

Currently, the township has no local, enforceable noise ordinance, Moorestown Mayor Nicole Gillsepie said during council’s April 26 meeting. A state law governing noise is enforced by the county.

The township does have a nuisance ordinance, which bans any noise that is deemed to be “unnecessary.” Township Solicitor Kevin Aberant described the ordinance as, “flexible and vague,” but said it could be tightened and more strictly enforced by the police department.

There are other options, as well.

“We could enact a more specific ordinance that regulates sound by level, but we would have to be able to measure that,” Aberant said. “That involves buying a device that costs between $1,000 and $2,500.”

It would also involve training someone to use the device, Aberant said. That “noise enforcer” might have a difficult time if the noise becomes an issue in the middle of the night. They would have to get out of bed, get their device ready and make their way to the scene. By the time they arrive, the noise might not be an issue anymore.

“Something based on activity might be easier,” Moorestown Councilman Dave Zipin said. “People calling in won’t know if the noise they’re hearing is actually in violation (of noise levels), but if we set forth specific times, it might be more clear.”

Aberant said the nuisance ordinance could become activity based, with tighter restrictions on noise produced by construction, and rules could be different by zone.

The township could also just work with the county on tightening enforcement of the existing law, although Aberant said he isn’t sure what the county might be interested in doing.

He said he would look into what kind of noise ordinances neighboring towns have, and put something together that can be voted on at a future meeting.