By David Tyler
In response to noise complaints spurred by guns fired near a residential neighborhood, the town of Manlius is considering changes to its noise ordinance to make it easier to enforce.
On Wednesday, Nov. 4, the Manlius Town Board is expected to introduce the amendments to the ordinance and schedule a public hearing on the new law.
The current noise ordinance in the town of Manlius prohibits people from making noise that “annoys, disturbs, injures or endangers the comfort, repose, health, peace or safety of a reasonable person of normal sensibilities.” What it doesn’t do, however, is set a measurable standard that would allow law enforcement to objectively enforce the ordinance.
The new law would prohibit sustained noise of more than 70 decibels when measured at the property line between the hours of 7 a.m. and 10 p.m., and 50 decibels between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. Sustained or intermittent noises that exceed these limits for more than 15 minutes in duration would be prohibited.
The ordinance specifically applies to the shooting of firearms on residentially zoned properties. It would not apply to commercial shooting ranges or rod and gun clubs that are already established in the town.
For well over a year, residents of Signal Hill in the village of Fayetteville have complained to law enforcement about a makeshift shooting range on an adjacent property in the town of Manlius that abuts the village. Manlius Police Chief Mike Crowell said in September that his department had been called to that location at least 17 times in the past year and half because of noise complaints. The town had also received more than 50 letters from residents concerned with the persistent shooting.
