Dorset’s noise ordinance remains on hold

Andrew McKeever Photo

Dorset residents filled up the town hall’s meeting room Tuesday night to debate a proposed noise ordinance, which was eventually tabled by the Select Board. 

Andrew McKeever

GNAT-TV

DORSET — The town’s Select Board voted to table the latest version of a proposed noise ordinance during its meeting Monday, Oct. 16, following a more than hour-long public hearing.

The intent of the ordinance was to strike a balance between preserving “peace and quiet” for the citizens of Dorset and prohibiting excessive noise without creating a host of unintended consequences and restrictions that were overly heavy handed. But crafting an ordinance that makes sense across all of Dorset and East Dorset has proven elusive for the select board, which has been debating the ordinance for nearly a year.

Debate has splintered around the need for a required permit for special events that might generate an unusual volume of noise for a specific period of time, or a wider ranging ordinance that covers more scenarios, such as use of amplified music or social events. The standard to determine “unreasonable” noise under the proposed ordinance is when “it disturbs, injures or endangers the peace or health of reasonable persons of ordinary sensitivity or when it endangers the health, safety or welfare of the community.”

Exemptions would have been allowed for emergency vehicles, snow removal, school events, emergency construction and farming activities, among others.

The select board heard a wide range of debate and discussion from townspeople who filled up the room of the town office where the select board holds its meetings to overflowing. Advocates favoring the ordinance urged it was needed  to control what they saw as excessive noise coming from one venue in particular in Dorset Village that hosts frequent social events Opponents argued the “one size fits all” approach of the ordinance didn’t take into account the differences across the town and opened townspeople up to fines or penalties that were excessive.

Megan Thorn, a member of the select board who has been closely involved in trying to craft the wording of the ordinance, said she was unable to support it in its present form.

“There’s clearly a problem and there’s people who need redress,” she said during the select board’s deliberation following the  public comments. “I’m troubled by having too much regulation in Vermont, but I’m hearing there are some people in the village who are having problems. That need to be addressed.”

Jack Stannard, the lone member of the select board to support the ordinance, argued that the ordinance was not set in stone, and could be reviewed and revised later if necessary.

“This isn’t the death toll of the town of Dorset,” he said. “We’re talking about the quality of life for the people who live in this town.”

In the end, three members of the board – Thorn, Tom Smith and Liz Ruffa – said they were disinclined to support the ordinance as presently written, leaving Stannard in favor of it. Board chairman Henry Chandler then tabled the ordinance for further review and ended the public hearing.