Denverites who want to submit a complaint about early morning or late-night construction sound can now record a video and submit it to the city instead of trying to make contact with health researchers under regulation changes that were approved by the municipal council on Monday.
With the new sound rules, music festivals can also be louder and a trash can start an hour earlier, giving more flexibility to fixed waste crews.
The bill, proposed by The Denver Department of Public Health and Environmentis aimed at modernizing the noise rules of Denver for the first time since 2008.
According to the old rules, construction noise had to exceed a certain decibell limit during the limited hours from 9 p.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. at the weekend to break the rules, for which a lecture by a public health researcher was needed.
Councilor Jamie Torres called that process ‘an impossible task’ during Monday’s meeting. “Especially in the early, early morning hours,” she said.
According to the new rules, the sound at that time simply must be “clearly audible” to be an enforceable violation. This means that time -stamped videos that record the sound can be used as proof.
The bill, approved with 12-1, lets waste and recycling pick-up start at 6 am instead of 7 a.m., the city actually has no plans to change the schemes of his crews, however, said Angela Casias, The legislative director of the mayor.
“It is pretty clear that they would not quickly make such a change,” Casias said during the meeting.
An earlier version of the proposal last year would have allowed pickups even earlier in and near the center, at 5 o’clock it was removed.
Festivals – including those in private ownership – still have to end at 10 p.m., but can now broadcast sounds up to 85 decibels under the new rules. That is more than 80 decibels.
Sounds at 85 decibels, about as loud as a Power tool or a lawn mower, usually requires that someone raises their voice to be heard of three foot distance, according to the Centers for disease control and prevention. It is also at the level that Health experts say Can ultimately cause hearing loss without protection.
Compression motorcycles, popularly called ‘Jake brakes’, are also forbidden in the city under the Regulation.
Urban Sound experts say that as the density in Denver increases, the city becomes noisier.
Councilor Kevin Flynn cast the only ‘no’ vote on the regulation. He mentioned the potential for collecting waste to start as a reason.
“Over the years I have heard and complained of voters about awakening when the starting time of 7 hours is already violated in 6,” he said. “I don’t think the solution is to relocate the start time.”
Noise complaints can be reported By calling the 311 -helpline of the city.
Stay informed of the Colorado politics by registering for our weekly newsletter, the place.