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Dear PoP – Noise Laws?
Photo by PoPville flickr user JessJ
“What is the law pertaining to noise? Next door, a band practices often and it often shakes my walls. It doesn’t help that I’m trying to get a 1 year old and 2 year old asleep.
So what is the law? I had the police come out and the essentially told me, they are good kids and you should let them play. They said we can’t issue a citation until 9:30PM. Until 9:30 they can play at any level.
Is that true?
It seems unfair that anyone would be legal be able to shake my walls until 9:30. What about people who work a late shift and sleep before 9:30PM? Any advice?”
We spoke about sound proofing options here. Have you tried speaking with the neighbors? Explaining your situation could go a long way. What would you guys suggest the reader do?
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If the reader approaches the band members and explains that there are young children, they may be willing to turn down the volume a few notches. It’s definitely worth trying to talk to them before going to the police about it.
I have the same problem, but with a guy that washes cars all day in front of my house. How many times do you have to ask someone to turn the music down before you give up?
20-30…because that is where we are.
Here are the regs:
http://dcra.dc.gov/dcra/lib/dcra/noiseregs.pdf
Appears to be 60db during the day and 55db at “night” (9p to 7a).
So the cops are wrong that there are no limits during the “day” and also wrong that 9:30 is the relevant time
I have the same problem
I, too, ask them to quiet down first, but I have resorted to calling cops on several occasions. Unfortunately, the house next door pretty much acts like a “club” and hosts touring bands.
Also, be sure to check out 2800.2 of the noise regulation code. It’s pretty specific regarding this issue. Show it to the neighbors and, if necessary, the cops.
did you try and work it out with your neighbors or did you just call the police first?
Aside from working something out with the neighbors or soundproofing, I don’t know if you have any recourse here.
I used to have neighbors a few doors down who were in a band. They only rehearsed during the day, and they were really, really, really good. My only problem with them was that they didn’t rehearse more often. I’m talking to you, band that used to practice at the NE corner of 12th & Rhode Island NW!
Um, relevance?
Oh yeah, I forgot that responses to postings on community websites have to be 100% relevant to the topic at hand, and not merely digressions from the main topic. Please forgive me, oh person who couldn’t even be bothered to come up with a fake internet name.
yes, if you can’t offer witty/snarky comments, don’t post here. haha…love the reply
The band that used to practice on the corner of 12th and Rhode Island is Five Four: http://www.fivefourmusic.com/
and we are still rockin…
…move to the ‘burbs?
why is that always the fall back answer. i don’t think it’s particularly productive nor can it be applied to all situations.
I agree.
There was a similar dear PoP back in December which might be useful to look at: http://www.princeofpetworth.com/2009/12/dear-pop-loud-neighbors-and-calling-911/
Thank you grumpy! I was looking for that post and found the sound proofing one instead. I really need a better internal search engine…
The writer should have knocked on their door before calling the cops. In my experience as a musician (and a drummer, so a loud one at that) we’re reasonable people, and I would bet if you asked them to try to find a way to keep the noise down, they would. Not for nothing, but why are you so skeptical about the 9:30 noise law? I know a lot of cops have a well-deserved reputation for making up the law as they go along, but I bet in a city with as many apartments and renters as DC, cops might actually know what they’re talking about when it comes to noise ordinances.
Personally I use Vic Firth drum mutes to substantially cut down on the noise my drums produce. These and similar products can cut noise down by about 70%. They’re $60 from Amazon. Maybe suggest them to your neighbor if it’s the drums rattling the walls. http://www.amazon.com/Vic-Firth-prepack-hi-hat-cymbal/dp/B000FRIA6E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=musical-instruments&qid=1268077394&sr=8-1
I u don’t like it move to the burb? like to prince of petworth. He lives in the surbs of dc called petworth:)
ah gave you the noise regulations above. S/he is right that there are limits during the day, which go down after 9pm. The police can issue a citation at any time – but who knows, they might have a “policy” of not issuing citations until after 9:30.
I would try talking to the neighbors and explain that you have young kids. We’ve asked our neighbors out back to turn their music down after the baby has gone to sleep and they do, usually.
Do they rent? If you try talking to them and don’t get anywhere, take it to their landlord. I threatened to do this with our old neighbors. It worked, fast.
Keep calling the police if you don’t get anywhere. Maybe you’ll get an officer who will do his/her job. Just maybe.
Talk to your councilmember if none of the above works. And finally, file a lawsuit for violation of right to quiet enjoyment and/or see if DCRA has any sort of mediation option.
if all else fails, the stereo turned to 11 with the macarena on repeat play every time you leave the house may send a message.
Love this idea…
What is your goal? You want the kids to stop playing period? You want night time sound restrictions to be in effect during the day? You want their playing time to revolve around your kids’ naptime? This hardly seems fair to me.
Why don’t you talk to your neighbors and work it out with them? Why is it everyone’s first response to call the relevant authorities and force their will that way? Grow up!
As if this not obvious, calling the cops instantly sets things on the wrong footing, because rather than talking to them and saying “We are both equal with equal rights, how can we reach a mutually-agreed solution,” you are saying “My rights trump yours, I am more important than you, and there is no reason to treat you like a human being because I am 100% in the right.” Such a dick move and a dick way to be.
First of all, cut the kneejerk assinine “move to the burbs if you can’t hack it” line, it’s getting so effing predictable you don’t even need to start typing, I can smell your roasted gray matter from here.
Secondly, don’t believe the goddamned cops, they make up any bloody thing that comes into their heads just to get past the situation so they can get back to their cars and watch dirty viddies on their toughbooks.
Thirdly, I know a lot of neighbors aren’t reasonable but hopefully these band kids are. I’m a noisemaker myself and need to practice in the basement on occasion. But I also try to be considerate and took the initiative, asked my neighbors “hey, I jammed a bit last night at about 8pm, did you hear anything? Was it OK?” — Turns out it was, but they know they can approach me about this stuff.
Unfortunately there are arrogant sh*heads that can’t be reasoned with but I’d hope folks can chat with neighbors before calling the fuzz, who seemingly are on this earth to dominate and humiliate rather than keep the peace. Apologies to the minority of decent cops (I’ve been told they do exist and I actually spoke to one once), but this has been my observation. Rant concludes.
The band that used to practice on the corner of 12th and Rhode Island is Five Four: http://www.fivefourmusic.com/
and we are still rockin. thanks for the props. .
Hey! Turn it down! My kids can’t sleep!
We have talked to the neighbors and we know them quite well. I think it’s just a difference of opinion on the noise levels. Everyone always assumes the worse, that the cops were called first. Just not true. Also, my kids aren’t the only ones with ears. It’s loud to adults too.
If this chart is correct
http://www.esoundproof.com/Screens/Basics/Academy/Sound%20Measurement/Decibels/dBChart.aspx
55-60db, what’s allowed by the DC regs in a residence, is the level of conversational speech. The noise is supposed to be measured from the property line. If their music is shaking your walls, chances are it’s louder than conversational speech when measured at their property line. So you probably have a legitimate beef but what to do with it? Are you going to file a nuisance lawsuit?
It sucks but unless you can reach some sort of accommodation with your neighbors (sounds like you’ve tried and can’t), you’ll just have to deal with it.
“Move to the ‘burbs” is not the ridiculous suggestion that some believe it to be (assuming of course that you can afford it). I think that suburban living carries with it a different expectation of quiet enjoyment than living in the city. There is a certain level of background noise associated with living in a city, particularly when you are living in homes or apartments that are attached. And a lot of people who live in urban areas assume they can make more noise because the neighbors don’t expect things to be quiet. Not an excuse, just a potential explanation.
First of all, cut the kneejerk assinine “move to the burbs if you can’t hack it” line, it’s getting so effing predictable you don’t even need to start typing, I can smell your roasted gray matter from here.
Secondly, don’t believe the goddamned cops, they make up any bloody thing that comes into their heads just to get past the situation so they can get back to their cars and watch dirty viddies on their toughbooks.
Thirdly, I know a lot of neighbors aren’t reasonable but hopefully these band kids are. I’m a noisemaker myself and need to practice in the basement on occasion. But I also try to be considerate and took the initiative, asked my neighbors “hey, I jammed a bit last night at about 8pm, did you hear anything? Was it OK?” — Turns out it was, but they know they can approach me about this stuff.
Unfortunately there are arrogant sh*heads that can’t be reasoned with but I’d hope folks can chat with neighbors before calling the fuzz, who seemingly are on this earth to te and humiliate rather than keep the peace. Apologies to the minority of decent cops (I’ve been told they do exist and I actually spoke to one once), but this has been my observation. Rant concludes.
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I just installed a sweet home theater system in my basement, I just hope the movie sound isn’t making it to the neighbors. No complaints so far so I guess I am good.
Unless you’re certified by DCRA to enforce the DCMRs and have a noise meter, the police can’t issue any kind of citation/61-D. They’d have to get a DCRA inspector out there at night, and good luck getting one there.