Ohio Town’s Fight Against Noise Pollution
Residents of Russell Township, Ohio are fighting for a noise pollution resolution that would give police the legal authority to shut down a noisy party or get a homeowner to keep their dog quiet. Many residents attended an recent open forum on the hot button issue of noise pollution.
While noise issues are handled appropriately most of the time, with no official law on the books police are limited in the rare case that someone does not voluntarily decide to be a good neighbour. Opponents of the resolution argue that noise pollution affects very few people and that such a law could pit neighbours against one another. Also, the township has limited resources to deal with the issue even if a resolution were passed. Another concern is about where to draw the line in determining what is noise pollution and what is not.