PHOTO BY MEGHAN ERKKINEN

The Radiance development is one of many new areas in Fife that has caused the city to revisit its noise code. Because of the proximity of houses in this and other residential areas, Fife is considering ways to better address noise complaints.

City council considers changes to noise code

By Meghan Erkkinen

The city of Fife is considering changes to its noise code, adopted in 1983, which the city considers to be out-of-date.

The subject came about after residents expressed concern about the city’s ability to enforce its noise code. The current code calls for enforcers to obtain a decibel reading by the building official or a code enforcement officer in order to issue a violation. Those designees are available only during the day, and therefore no one is available during peak complaint times – at night and on weekends – to issue a violation.

The decibel requirement also makes the code more difficult to enforce because of the large amount of ambient sound from Interstate 5. In addition, the proximity of houses and the residential boom over the last two decades also presents a challenge to the code.

“The freeway noise is kind of making the measurement system inadequate,” said Code Enforcement Officer Chris Larson. “The original code was from 1983 and back then, Fife didn’t have very many neighborhoods…Now that we have residential neighborhoods that are close to each other, it has become more of an issue to have [violations issued] on the spot.”

Newer developments within the city, such as Radiance and Saddle Creek, have seen a significant number of complaints due to the proximity of the houses, and much of the time city officials cannot do anything about the complaints.

Other issues with the current code are that it does not allow for proactive enforcement – all violations must be issued upon receipt of a complaint – and that the penalty for violations is somewhat subjective – violators can receive up to $1,000 in fines and/or up to 90 days in prison.

The city council considered several options during a recent study session to update the code.

The council discussed the establishment of “nuisance noises,” which would be used instead of taking decibel measurements. It also considered allowing the police department the power to enforce the noise code so that violations could be issued at all hours, not just during the workday.

Several council members spoke in support of updating the ordinance.

“I think this is something the city needs to adopt,” said Councilmember Glenn Hull. “If we take a common-sense approach to this…we’re going to be better tomorrow than we are today.”

Councilmembers Butch Brooks and Kim Roscoe agreed, calling such changes a step in the right direction. Mayor Barry Johnson said what was presented was “a drastic improvement for us.”

However, not all council members were pleased with the proposed changes.

“Without a given (decibel) level, it doesn’t make sense to me,” said Councilmember Dick Godwin. “I believe that one of our problems of the noise in town is poor planning.”

He added as an example the development of the FedEx facility near residential neighborhoods.

“We need some better buffers and some better planning,” he said.

Councilmember Nancy de Booy also expressed her concern. While she said she realized a change to the code might be necessary, she did not like implementing more rules on citizens’ lives.

“I’m not crazy about this but I can see there’s a need,” she said.

The subject will be presented to the planning commission for further discussion at its April meeting, and a draft ordinance will likely be brought before the council in May.

“The main point of [the change to the code] is to update things,” Larson said “Times are changing and development patterns are different…It’s just keeping up with the times.”

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