City Reminds Residents to Keep Noise Levels Low

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 2, 2008

For information, contact:
Beverly Calender-Anderson, Safe and Civil City Director, City of Bloomington, 349-3560, andersb@bloomington.in.gov
Danny Lopez, Communications Director, City of Bloomington, 349-CITY, lopezd@bloomington.in.gov
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Bloomington, IN --As the new academic year begins and Bloomington once again enjoys the return of the student population, Mayor Mark Kruzan is reminding residents of the City's noise ordinance and noise reduction initiatives - Quiet Nights and Lower the Boooom!

"The fines associated with these initiatives are not designed to punish people unfairly," Kruzan said. "They are deterrents to unsafe levels of noise in order to keep residents healthy, safe and comfortable."

Quiet Nights and Lower the Boooom! are two initiatives developed by the City of Bloomington to create community standards concerning noise. Quiet Nights is a program enforcing the level of fixed-source noise and enforces limits on noise from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. Lower the Boooom! encourages drivers of boom cars to lower their automobile's stereo volume and provides information concerning health and safety risks involved with the utilization of boom speakers.

A first offense carries a fine of $50. The fine for a second citation is $100 and all subsequent violations within a calendar year carry fines of $500 each. Citations for noise may be issued for noise from a residence or vehicle.

Besides the disturbance that noise causes to neighbors and fellow drivers, increased levels of vehicular noise adversely affect the hearing of listeners and prevent drivers from hearing and responding to pedestrians and emergency vehicles such as police, ambulances or fire engines.

Noise complaints may be reported to the City of Bloomington Police Department using the non-emergency telephone number, 339-4477. To report recurring vehicular noise from boom cars, Bloomington residents can call the Lower the Boooom! hotline at 355-7777. Concerns or complaints may also be emailed to noise@bloomington.in.gov.

Additional information about these two initiatives can be found at www.bloomington.in.gov/noise.

Neighborhood associations or civic groups interested in scheduling presentations about the Lower the Boooom! Campaign may contact Safe and Civil City Director, Beverly Calender-Anderson at safeandcivil@bloomington.in.gov or 349-3560.

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