Will Legislative Matters Finally Vote on Trane's Noise Ordinance?

Ward 7 Alderman Bob Trane

With the next Board of Alderman meeting scheduled for October 13th, will the Noise Ordinance that Ward 7 Alderman Bob Trane introduced over a month ago be on the agenda for the board to adopt?

Submitted at the August 25th meeting, Legislative item #191924, aims to "protect the health, safety and welfare of the inhabitants of the City of Somerville. This ordinance should permit the City to impose liability on property owners and other responsible persons for the nuisances and harm caused by loud and/or unruly gatherings on private property and shall prohibit the consumption of alcoholic beverages by underage persons at such gatherings." Most complaints received by Alderman Trane surround loud parties and disrespect for neighbors. Ordaining such a piece of legislation would give absentee landlords serious consequences if they do not put more thought into who they rent their apartments to. Medford has also enacted a similar ordinance which Trane used as an example.

The item was discussed in length at the recent Legislative Matters Committee meeting of the whole on September 20th with applicability to different scenarios being brought up by Alderman at Large Dennis Sullivan and Ward 2 Alderman Maryann Heuston. Just when the ordinance seemed to be ready to vote on, the departure of one alderman (and member of the Legislative Matters Committee) prompted Heuston to point out the absense of a quorum, with Sullivan formally challenging it. The meeting was adjourned and the item was kept in committee.

The meeting will also feature a revised Rodent Control Ordinance being submitted in by the City Solicitor. All documents (inlcuding Medford's Noise Ordinance) can be found on the agenda for this meeting.

Legislative Matters Committee

Committee Meeting

10/6/2011 7:00 PM