Bowmanstown will enforce noise ordinance

Bowmanstown Borough Council wants to get tough on violators of the noise regulations in the town’s zoning ordinance.

Council voted Tuesday night to buy a decibel meter to track the noise coming off properties in the borough. The price of the meter is not to exceed $60.

The borough’s zoning ordinance states that a property owner is in violation if sound levels at a neighboring property line exceed a certain level. They are more restrictive in a residential zone.

The general restriction is 70 dBA. There are exceptions including emergency alerts, construction, agriculture, household lawn mowers (between 8 a.m.-9 p.m.), and routine ringing of bells at a place of worship.

The level of 70 dBA is approximately the noise generated by a vacuum cleaner if you are sitting in the same room.

In a residential zone, the maximum sound level is 67 dBA between 7 a.m.-9 p.m. and 61 dBA between 9 p.m.-7 a.m., as well as Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Year’s Day, Labor Day and Memorial Day.

While the borough is currently updating its ordinance, council member Rob Moyer said the sound restrictions won’t be changed.

“Our zoning says, and that’s not going to change, decibels cannot exceed 70 on a regular basis. We need to find a way to actually test that,” he said.

Attorney John Harrison, who was filling in for borough solicitor James Preston, said the meter should be used by the borough’s zoning officer in the event that a resident files a written complaint with the borough.

In other business

• Council asked the solicitor to look into whether residents of Craig Street, which divides the borough and Lower Towamensing Township, need to get driveway permits from the borough. A borough resident said she wanted the road repaved, and Norman Engle Jr. said Craig Street residents (including those in Lower Towamensing) need to have curbing installed before the project can proceed.

• Pam Leiby asked Chief Mike Spairana and the borough’s fire committee to review a proposed tax ordinance giving firefighters a tax credit up to $300.

• Mayor William Ravert recommended that signs be placed at the entrances to the borough advising truckers that the use of engine braking, aka jake brakes, is prohibited.

• The borough’s engineer advised council to apply for Community Development Block Grant funds to pay for handicap ramps on Lime Street.