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2010-01ORDINANCE NO. 2010-01 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 38, ARTICLE II, SECTION 38-11 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF FAIRFAX, VIRGINIA, PERTAINING TO LOUD, DISTURBING AND UNNECESSARY NOISES. BE IT ORDAINED, by the City Council of the City of Fairfax, Virginia, that Chapter 38, Article II, Section 38-11 of the Code of the City of Fairfax, Virginia, pertaining to loud, disturbing and unnecessary noises is hereby amended, as follows: ARTICLE IL NOISE Sec. 38-11. Loud, disturbing and unnecessary noises. (a) It shall be unlawful for any person: (1) to use or sound any vehicular or other horn or other audible signaling device or similar device on any automobile, motorcycle, truck or other vehicle, or of any such device not attached to a vehicle, except as a danger warning or other emergency warning signal or for reasons of public safety.- (2) to use, operate or play any radio, phonograph, television, record, compact disc or tape player, musical instrument, loudspeaker, sound amplifier or other machine or device capable of producing or reproducing sound in such a manner or with such volume or duration that it is plainly audible between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. (i) inside the confines of the dwelling unit, house or apartment of another person, or (ii) at fifty (50) or more feet from the device, except for devices permitted to be used pursuant to a city issued permit. (3) to play or permit the playing of any radio, stereo, tape player, compact disc player, loud speaker or other electronic device or mechanical equipment used for the amplification of sound, which is located within or upon a motor vehicle (whether or not attached to said vehicle) and which is plainly audible from outside the motor vehicle at a distance of fifty (50) feet or more from the vehicle. This provision shall not apply to sirens, loud speakers and emergency communications radios in public safety vehicles, nor shall it apply to motor vehicle alarms or other security devices. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to vehicles, instruments or devices, as described in this subsection, utilized in a duly authorized parade or other city sponsored event. (4) to use, operate, or permit to be played, used or operated, e~any machine, instrument or device for the production or reproduction of sound which is cast upon the public streets for the purpose of commercial advertising or attracting the attention of the public to any building or structure, including auction sales, unless a permit therefore is issued by the city manager or his designee. (5) to yell, shout, hoot, whistle, sing or undertake any similar activity or other noise disturbance on the public streets, between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. (6) to allow any animal or bird to create noise that is plainly audible at least once a minute for ten (10) consecutive minutes (i) inside the confines of the dwelling tuzit, house or apartment of another, or (ii) at fifty (50) or more feet from the animal or bird. (7) to allow the blowing of any locomotive steam whistle or steam whistle attached to any stationary boiler, except to give notice of the time to begin or stop work or as a warning of fire or danger, or upon request of proper city authorities. (8) to allow the discharge into the open air of the exhaust of any steam engine, stationary internal combustion engine or motor vehicle, except through a muffler or other device which will effectively prevent loud or explosive noises emanating therefrom; to allow the operation of any motor vehicle or motorcycle not equipped with a muffler or other sound dissipative device in good working order and in constant operation, in accordance with federal and state laws or regulations to remove or allow to be removed or rendered inoperative any muffler or sound-dissipative device, or otherwise defeating the design purpose of any noise suppression system or device by installing therein or thereon any part or component which does not meet the minimum design specifications for such system or device, other than for purposes of maintenance, repair or replacement, on a motor vehicle or motorcycle; to sell or offer for sale a muffler without interior baffle plates or other effective muffling device or any gutted muffler, muffler cutout or straight exhaust and the operation of any motorcycle or motor vehicle so equipped; to operate or allow to be operated any motorcycle or other motor vehicle so out of repair so as to cause thereby loud and unnecessary grating, grinding, rattling or any other noise disturbance; and/or to operate any motorcycle or other motor vehicle under the following conditions: a. Umnecessarily racing the motor of such motorcycle or motor vehicle while standing or moving and thereby causing a noise disturbance; b. Unnecessarily retarding the spark to the motor of such motorcycle or motor vehicle and thereby causing a noise disturbance; c. In starting a motorcycle or motor vehicle from a stationary position, the practice of accelerating unnecessarily rapidly and thereby causing a noise disturbance; d. In stopping a motorcycle or motor vehicle, the practice of coming to an unnecessarily quick stop and thereby causing grinding of brakes or screeching of tires or any other noise disturbance; e. With respect to a commercial motor vehicle, the running of the engine of such vehicle for more than three minutes when the vehicle is parked, left unattended, or is stopped for other traffic or maintenance reasons, except when the propulsion engine provides auxiliary services (refrigerating or heating of the contents of the vehicle). (9) to create plainly audible noise in residential areas between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a. m. in connection with loading or unloading any vehicle or the opening and destruction of bales, boxes, crates or other containers. (10) to erect (including excavating), demolish, alter or repair any building before 7:00 a.m. and after 6:00 p.m. on weekdays, before 8:30 a.m. and after 5:00 p.m. on Saturdays and federal and state holidays, and at any time on Sundays, except in the case of urgent necessity in the interest of public health and safety, and then only when authorized by the building official, which authorization may be granted for a period not to exceed three days while the urgent necessity continues and which authorization may be renewed for periods of three days or less while the urgent necessity continues. Interior work which does not generate noise discernible at the property line shall not constitute a prohibited act. (11) to operate before 7:00 a.m. and after 6:00 p.m. on weekdays, before 8:30 a.m. and after 5:00 p.m. on Saturdays and federal and state holidays, and at any time on Sundays, any pile driver, steam shovel, pneumatic hammer, derrick, steam or electric hoist or other similar machinery. (12) to operate any noise-creating blower or power fan or any internal-combustion engine, the operation of which causes noise due to the explosion of operating gases or fluids, wlless the noise from such blower or fan is muffled and such engine is equipped with a muffler device sufficient to deaden such noise. This subsection is not intended to impose additional limits on the use of "leaf blowers" properly equipped with mufflers. (13) to create any excessive noise or any other noise disturbance on any street adjacent to any school, institution of learning, church or court while the same is in use, or adjacent to any hospital at any time, which interferes with the workings of such institution or which unduly disturbs or annoys patients in a hospital, provided conspicuous signs are displayed in such streets indicating that the same is a school, hospital or court street. (a.) to collect trash or refuse with or without a refuse vehicle, before 7:00 a.m. or after 7:00 p.m. on any weekday or weekend day. (b) Penalty. Violations of this article shall be unlawful and shall constitute a class 1 misdemeanor. This ordinance shall become effective as provided by law. INTRODUCED: January 12, 2010 PUBLIC HEARING: January 26, 2010 ENACTED: January 26, 2010 / ~ ~~ ate ATTEST: City Clerk Votes Councilwoman Cross Aye Councilman Drtunmond Aye Councilman Greenfield Aye Councilman Meyer Aye Councilman Rasmussen Aye Councilman Stombres Aye