By Michael S. Hoey
Correspondent
The Town of Delavan Board passed an amended noise ordinance on the third attempt at its April 20 meeting. The ordinance was supported by many neighbors of Cattails Bar but opposed by some board members who thought it would inconvenience town residents in general.
The ordinance first came before the board in February and was tabled when some supervisors said they thought the ordinance went too far. The proposed amended ordinance was seen as too restrictive by some because it set a decibel level that was too low as the threshold for a violation and set the times for that decibel level to be enforced for before 7 a.m. and after 7 p.m. Some supervisors said they were concerned that would make it difficult for working residents to snow blow their driveways, mow their lawns or blow leaves off their property without violating the ordinance.
The ordinance came back before the board in March with one change: the 7 p.m. time was changed to 10 p.m., weekdays and 11 p.m., on weekends and holidays. The motion to continue discussion on that amended motion died due to a lack of a second.
More exemptions to the ordinance were added before last week’s April 20 meeting.
The ordinance that was approved by a 3-2 vote does exempt any emission of sound associated with the ordinary and reasonable use, maintenance, or enjoyment of residential property. It also exempts any emission of sound associated with the ordinary and reasonable conduct of an agricultural use.
Supervisor Kim Jedlicka said Town Police Chief Ray Clark told her the existing ordinance had been working but the new ordinance is less subjective than the old one. Clark verified that.
Chairman Larry Malsch said many people in the community think the ordinance is geared at one particular business only but it’s actually for the entire town.
Jedlicka and Katherine Gaulke were the two supervisors who opposed the motion.
The board also approved a new lighting ordinance that Town Administrator John Olson said was driven by private property owner complaints about excessive lighting in residential neighborhoods. The ordinance requires people who wish to install exterior lighting to comply with the town’s municipal code on lighting and it establishes exterior lighting standards for the town.
Read more coverage from the town board meeting in the April 29 Delavan Enterprise.
