By: Dean Vaglia | C&G Newspapers | Published July 7, 2023
CLINTON TOWNSHIP — Residents might need to change their yardwork plans to comply with a new noise ordinance passed by the Clinton Township Board of Trustees at their meeting June 26.
Introduced earlier in the month, the ordinance outlines several noise sources and defines if, how and when they can be used. Car horns and audible signaling devices are only to be used in emergencies. Unpermitted drums and loudspeakers, and “the keeping of any animal or bird so as to annoy or disturb the quiet, comfort or repose of a reasonable person of ordinary sensibilities because of frequent or long continued noise” are prohibited under the ordinance. Commercial excavation, construction and demolition is prohibited between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. Monday through Friday, and between 6 p.m. and 9 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday without a waiver. Residential lawn mowing and landscaping is prohibited between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. every day.
“What we found is that it is difficult to enforce our existing ordinance because it is based upon rising to a certain decibel level,” Clinton Township Treasurer Paul Gieleghem said.
The new ordinance gives much discretion to the enforcing officers with the definition of loud noises consisting of “any sound which, due to its volume, duration or character, annoys, disturbs, injures or endangers the comfort, health, peace or safety of a reasonable person of ordinary sensibilities.” It applies to any loud noises determined to come from “public streets, parking lot open to the public or other public place, any church or hospital or in any occupied building which is not the source of the noise, including the grounds surrounding the building.” Giving the officers discretion allows them to determine not just if the sound is too loud, but if the sound occurs frequently enough to be a public nuisance. Officers enforcing the ordinance are instructed to seek compliance via warnings before pursuing punitive measures.
“I think the whole idea is to get compliance with people getting along in neighborhoods,” Township Supervisor Robert Cannon said.
Should punitive measures be pursued, the fine for breaking the ordinance begins at $200 and increases by $100 for the second and third offenses.
Spillway Trail grant application
Trustees also approved applying for a $450,000 Transportation Alternative Program grant from the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments for the purposes of rehabilitating the Clinton River Spillway Trail. Grant money would be used to pay for an asphalt overlay, new striping and adding a linear fitness park along the trail between Wellington Crescent and Union Lake Road.
“The concept is similar to something you see in some of the Metroparks, and that would be workout stations where you could have a sit-up bar so you could do sit-ups easier or do pull-ups,” Clinton Township Public Services Director Mary Bednar said. “The idea is to incorporate along this linear park places where you could run, do whatever fitness you want to do and then continue to run.”
The township pledges to pay 100% of planning and engineering costs and a 50% match for construction costs. A requested $300,000 Macomb County Department of Roads grant would be used to help pay for the construction match.