Essex council asked to approve new standards for town’s noise by-law

Town of Essex sign in Essex, Ont., on Friday, April 5, 2024. (Rich Garton/CTV News Windsor)

Essex council has been asked to approve changes to the town’s noise by-law that will make it easier to determine what’s too noisy and what’s not.

Following a review of the by-law, the council is being asked to approve changes that would incorporate maximum decibel readings to measure the intensity of sound at a ‘point of reception,’ or where the complaint was received, to consider common standards.

Under the current system, by-law enforcement officers and OPP officers are asked to make a professional judgment regarding the noise and whether it is a disturbance.

Essex Mayor Sherry Bondy said this is all about finding balance.

“Rather than have it up to professional judgment, we want to have something that is more concrete, that is black or white,” she said.

“We can measure the noise and say, ‘yes, this violates our noise by-law, or no, this doesn’t violate our noise by-law.’”

If the changes are approved, a sound level meter, commonly known as a decibel reader, would also be used by the town’s by-law enforcement officers to measure noise levels when investigating noise complaints, while the town would also provide the OPP Essex and Harrow detachments with a minimum of two sound level meters for the same purpose.

Bondy said noise issues came up a lot when the town was considering short-term rentals.

“Some people just didn’t like having short-term rentals around them and called about noise, whether there was a legitimate concern or not,” she said.

Bondy added the decibel readers will help.

“When they go out, we’ll be able to double back with the residents and say, ‘yes, this is a reading that is over our by-law.’ So will the offender; they’ll know if they have to turn it down a little or end the party a little bit sooner,” she said.

If approved, a maximum of 45 decibels, or the ambient background noise, whichever is louder, would be allowed between the hours of 7 a.m. and 4 p.m.

A maximum of 55 decibels, or the ambient background noise, whichever is louder, between the hours of 4 p.m. and 11 p.m.

A maximum of 40 decibels, or the ambient background noise, whichever is louder, between the hours of 11 p.m. and 7 a.m.

Essex council meets Monday at 6 p.m. at the Essex Municipal Building.

- Rusty Thomson/AM800 News