By Adam Studzinski
NORMAL – The Normal Town Council voted Monday night to change the town’s noise violation ordinance to prohibit the use of power equipment in residential areas between 9:30 p.m. and 7 a.m.
Normal defines power equipment as power saws, sanders, drills, grinders, nail guns, lawn mowers, leaf blowers and similar garden tools. City Manager Mark Peterson admitted the times the town came up with are somewhat arbitrary.
“We did look at other noise ordinances and frankly there is quite a bit of variation from community to community,” said Peterson. “There are some that are significantly earlier than that.”
Peterson added Normal plans to enforce the ordinance on a complaint basis.
“This is the type of thing where we’ll certainly notify a perpetrator first, give them an opportunity to abate the situation,” he said.
Snow removal equipment and generators are not included in the ordinance. Fines range from $25 to $500 for each offense.
Adam Studzinski can be reached at adam.studzinski@cumulus.com.
