Hear that? County repeals, replaces noise ordinance

Ordinance No. 2013-5-295 has been repealed and replaced to provide stronger guidance and clearer standards to regulating unlawful noise.

The new version of the Barnwell County noise ordinance was passed on the first reading at the county council’s September 12 meeting.

Due to this ordinance being passed only on the first reading, it is still subject to change and must go through two more readings until officially adopted.

This draft deems it unlawful for an individual to make or continue to make any “loud, excessive, or disturbing noise,” that “disturbs, injures, or endangers the comfort, repose, health, peace, or safety of others.”

This includes things that make excessive or long continuing noise causing disruption. Some of these circumstances include blowing of horns or whistles, sound making devices, pets (both animals and birds), vehicle sounds such as exhaust discharge, noises to attract attention, and others.

Building operations such as demolition or excavation are allowed during the hours of 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays, except in an urgent case of public safety.

Some exemptions to this ordinance include organized sporting events, designated shooting ranges, agricultural activities, religious bells/chimes, emergency work, and others.

Enforcement of the ordinances requires law enforcement officers to exercise judgment in “determining if a particular noise is sufficiently loud or otherwise so offensive that it would substantially interfere with persons occupying nearby public or private property,” states the ordinance.

Law enforcement officers should consider the following factors: volume and intensity of the noise, the type of noise, whether the nature of the noise is “usual or unusual,” the nature and zoning of the area the noise is heard in, and the duration of the noise.

If found in violation, penalties can include a fine not less than $100 and no more than $500, issued a uniform summons, or thirty days in jail.