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Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Noise Pollution - Milton GA.


Double Click To Enlarge Screen. Turn Speakers On. Video edited for time.


"Incorporated on December 1, 2006, the City of Milton is a distinctive community that embraces small-town life and heritage while preserving and enhancing the City's rural character. The City of Milton is committed to maintaining the unique quality of life for its residents while efficiently delivering essential services to residents and businesses in an interactive community environment." - City Of Milton GA website.

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ru·ral

1. of, pertaining to, or characteristic of the country, country life, or country people; rustic: rural tranquillity. - dictionary.com
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tran·quil·li·ty
1. quality or state of being tranquil; calmness; peacefulness; quiet; serenity. - dictionary.com
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Lie
1. a false statement made with deliberate intent to deceive; an intentional untruth; a falsehood. - dictionary.com
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Equality under the Constitution=>

The United States was born with a Declaration of Independence that proclaimed, as a self-evident truth, that, “all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness—That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men.” According to the founders of the United States of America, all people are equal, by virtue of their humanity, in possession of certain rights (such as rights to liberty) that it is the responsibility of government to protect. - answers.com

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Noise Pollution=>
is excessive, displeasing human, animal or machine-created environmental noise that disrupts the activity or balance of human or animal life. The word noise comes from the Latin word nauseas, meaning seasickness. - wikipedia.org
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Can MHS fight City Hall?

Milton ordinance could limit crowd, stadium noise at Friday night games.

By Candy Waylock, Appen Newspapers

February 15, 2007

A high school football game without the roar of the crowd? An outdoor graduation without fireworks?

A proposed noise ordinance in Milton has local high school officials concerned about its effect on activities at the school, many of which are held outdoors such as football games and marching band practice.

If passed, the ordinance would limit "unreasonable" noise if it met three of five conditions. Those conditions include if the noise is

• between the hours of 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.;

• plainly audible inside a dwelling;

• amplified by a machine

• abnormally high or low [as judged] by a listener with normal hearing;

• and is constant for at least 5 minutes, or is repeated at least three times within 30 minutes.

The ordinance as proposed is not directed specifically at school activities, but the new school would be one of the few establishments in the city affected by the law. The law also seeks to control noise from construction equipment and lawn tools during early morning hours and late at night. Council is set to vote on the ordinance this month.

Milton High School Principal Ron Tesch said noise coming from many sports activities or marching band practice meets at least three of the five conditions, and therefore would be unlawful.

"I don't want to have the Milton Marching Mimes," laughed Tesch during a meeting with Milton City Council members last week to discuss the ordinance.

Tesch told the council he has worked hard to limit noise from the school, and detailed steps administration has taken to appease residents of nearby homes, some of which are less than 200 feet from the school boundaries.

"We've tweaked a lot of things since last year [when the school opened] to help alleviate concerns we've had over noise," said Tesch. "We're making the best effort we can to get the sound under control with the resources we have."

When asked, he noted there have been no more than five complaints about noise in the two years the school has been open. Those complaints were centered mainly on the sound of the loudspeaker during games or music during practices. Members of the City Council also confirmed receiving only a handful of complaints about school noise, again from the same residents also complaining to the school.

Tesch said he takes all complaints seriously, going so far as to take a decibel reader to areas outside the stadium on game nights to judge noise levels. What he has found is the noise is not unreasonably louder than other sources of noise, such as passing cars.

The school has worked on realigning speakers, limiting the times when the stadium's loudspeakers could be used, and
even keeping percussion members of the marching band indoors during practice.

Tesch even tested a mobile loudspeaker with good results. However the $40,000 price tag was beyond the means of the school. He admits mistakes have been made in the past with regards to excessive noise, but the school is committed to being a good neighbor.

He told the council the school was in an unusual situation since relocating two years ago from downtown Alpharetta, where it stood for more than 80 years as one of the oldest schools in Fulton County. At that location, the school was also surrounded by homes, but the city passed a variance to its ordinance exempting noise from organized youth activities.

"When we left downtown Alpharetta, I had many people saying the thing they were going to miss most was the sounds of Friday night football," said Tesch.

Council members acknowledged that Milton High School is one of the most visible aspects of the new city, but clearly want to balance the needs of the school with the concerns of the community.

"No one from the city is saying we want to eliminate school activities," stressed Milton Council member Rick Mohrig. "We just want a balance."

Milton resident Jose Creamer told the city council during its recent work session he fully supports the noise ordinance, and also wants to make sure residents have the right to weigh in on any variances. The proposed noise ordinance provides for a variance, which Milton High School could apply for in specific events.

The noise ordinance in Milton has sparked the attention of at least one state politician. State Rep. Charles "Chuck" Martin, R-Alpharetta, whose son was a standout on the Milton football team, said he has problems with "perceived perception of a noise violation", written in the ordinance.

"From what I read, and I'm not an attorney, I think it is inherently unconstitutional to ask a police officer to make a ruling on what is 'unreasonable' noise without a clear measurement," said Martin. "It's like asking them to make a ruling on what is speeding [without designated speed limits.]"

City Attorney Mark Scott said he saw potential legal issues with an ordinance based on decibel ratings, and therefore opted for "perceived perception."

Martin said he hoped the city and school system come to a consensus that considers the needs of the thousands and kids and parents associated with the school system and the needs of the community.

Resident John Miller, who addressed the Milton City Council during a recent work session, echoed Martin's sentiment.

"I just want to make sure we do not keep schools from having Friday night football," said Miller.

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

U sure that's not Milton horses doing the river dance?

Anonymous said...

All your mean comments should be deleated or ignored. Watch what you say, it may come back to haunt you.

Anonymous said...

Milton is suppose to be a family friendly community. Kids and adolescents make noise when they participate in the many activities held at a school. After reading this article, I thought I was reading about a night club, not a high school. I think it is a bit dramatic to call the normal noise that comes from a high school "noise pollution."

Anonymous said...

Do you live in a home that is less than 1/2 mile from any high school, if so how long have you lived there? did you move there by choice to be near the school, or did you live there for years and the school was built on top of you? Walk in another's shoes before being so critical. One man's pleasure can be another man's misery. I doubt he is talking about laughter from children playing on a playground or sports activities. but have a band practicing or playing loudly when you get home from a hard day's work and you want to relax in the garden or on your front porch with some ice tea and it gets old after a while, then one day you realize your solitude has been infringed upon and you had no say so in the matter, none. I don't think it is dramatic, I think its one's happiness diminished in ones home.

Anonymous said...

I watched the video and listened but all I heard was what sounded like wind blowing or an occasional car driving by, is this some kind of joke?

Anonymous said...

whoever posted sounds like an angry old man that cried when he was a kid when he couldn't get his away. Very passive aggressive with myopic views. Why don't you just move. Your response back to me, will be "its your town", transplanters are ruining Milton" and etc.

Anonymous said...

HERE WE GO AGAIN!

Anonymous said...

So the only solution for people who lived here there entire lives and had a school built on top of them is to move? Gosh could you be any more sensitive or caring? but you probably are okay also that the FCBOE pressured 7 families to sell their property or face eminent domain, to build MHS. Screw them right?

Anonymous said...

People only care when it affect them.

Anonymous said...

Night clubs don't put out as much noise, they can't, they have to follow the city's noise laws. Neither can you or your neighbor. Throw a loud party and keep your neighbors up at night on a regular basis and see if they confront you or call the police to get you to tone it down. Why? disturbing their peace?

Anonymous said...

the seven families were forced to move my fanny im sure if you located them today many would be happily living with the money paid for their property just knowing that they couldnt get that same amoutn in today market

Anonymous said...

This is the most ridiculous noise level ordinance I have seen...

If passed, the ordinance would limit "unreasonable" noise if it met three of five conditions. Those conditions include if the noise is

• between the hours of 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.;

• plainly audible inside a dwelling;

• amplified by a machine

• abnormally high or low [as judged] by a listener with normal hearing;

• and is constant for at least 5 minutes, or is repeated at least three times within 30 minutes.

If this ordinance passes, then there are many noises that would not pass this test, including but not limited to: roosters crowing in the morning, cows mooing, horses neighing, thunder, etc.

Should we put a stop to all these noises too?

Anonymous said...

In the posted video, cars driving by and insect noises sound louder than the background noise.

Anonymous said...

I agree the video did not do justice recording the high school noise. I do not live on Bethany Road but do hear the band
practice and it is very distracting and intrusive. Being a good neighbor should include how a school affects surrounding areas. Practice should not be amplified. Be considerate.

Tim Enloe said...

All:

I have enjoyed reading your post and appreciate the perspectives shared.

Please keep in mind that the flip video camera that I used has it's limits.

Thus, if anyone would like to come over for a visit to experience the noise pollution from the high school that we do on a daily basis all over our property and within our homes, you are more than welcome. Please give me a call.

Thanks,

Tim Enloe
Accessmilton.com
770 653 0552

PS We have lived on Bethany Road for over 33 years; 28 years before they moved the high school to Freemanville...

Anonymous said...

tim you shoudl post picture of you and dead horse you keep beating

Anonymous said...

Those families did not get what they should have received if sold on the market at the time the school decided to push them out. It was highly publicized in the papers and in public meetings. Their attorneys told them to take the deal the BOE was offering because they were going to lose any legal battle due to the power of eminent domain. You are wrong. Go ask the elderly guy how happy he is after having to abandon his home and property which was in his family for like 100 years. I am sure he is so happy now. He was crying at the meeting, yeah, he is so frikkin happy now. Trying to justify he got more then, compared to if he had to sell it now, is ridiculous. His property was in his family for decades upon decades, he wasn't interested in selling then, and doubt he would now in today's market either. Who in their right mind would try and sell their home today unless they were forced to for some reason. Values are half of what they were in 2008.

Anonymous said...

I think that the ordinance should prevent any noise from any individual or property, or business, or school from infiltrating the walls of anyone's home. To hear it outside the house is one thing, but to retreat into your home to relax and enjoy your home and your family, and still be subject to it is another. Something does need to be done to update the ordinance to at least bring it down to a level where it doesn't go through peoples walls and into their homes. It isn't put up with if your neighbor does it, so why is okay for the schools to do it?

Anonymous said...

We live in the six hills subdivision. We have students at Milton. I love having the high school close. However, my windows vibrate from the loudspeaker at games, and I have had to go into my home to continue a conversation because you honestly can not carry on a conversation above the noise.In my home you can clearly hear the announcer speaking, even with all the windows closed.

The football games start at 8am during the fall ( youth leagues) and continue until dusk. I realize we bought a home across from the school. But I do object to the volume of the announcers. Sit in my back yard some weekend and you will see that something as simple as turning down the volume on the announcers mike would have to help a bit.

Hira said...

I really enjoyed reading your post.
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