All of the territory within 200 feet of the
premises of each hospital in this City is hereby created and established
as a zone of quiet. The Chief of Police is hereby authorized to erect
and maintain in a conspicuous manner within this area, such signs
and markings as are necessary to designate it as a zone of quiet.
The Chief of Police may temporarily establish
a zone of quiet upon any street where a person is seriously ill, if
requested to do so by the written statement of at least one registered
physician certifying to its necessity. Said temporary zone of quiet
shall embrace all territory within a radius of 200 feet of the building
occupied by the person named in the request of said physician. Said
temporary zone of quiet shall be designated by the police by placing
at a conspicuous place in the street a sign or marker bearing the
words "Zone of Quiet."
No person operating a motor vehicle within any
designated and signed zone of quiet shall sound any horn or other
warning device of said vehicle except in an emergency.
[Added 6-15-1989]
The following activities shall not take place
in any residential zone of the City between the hours of 10:00 p.m.
and 7:00 a.m.
B.
Collection of trash, refuse, or recyclable materials,
except as follows:
[Amended 6-15-2023 by Ord. No. 23.331]
(1)
Collection
of trash, refuse or recyclable materials in the downtown Central Business
Core District (CBc, dark pink), including receptacles located in a
district adjacent to the CBc District that service one or more properties
in the CBc District, where there shall be no time restriction.
(2)
Collection
of trash, refuse or recyclable materials in the Florence Village Center
Districts (FVC and FVG), where trash collection shall be prohibited
between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.
(3)
Collection
of trash, refuse or recyclable materials from municipally owned receptacles
in the public way.
C.
Construction or demolition activities involving the
use of hammers, saws, drills, or power equipment, unless said activities
are emergency in nature and necessary for the protection or preservation
of property or the health or safety of a person.
[Added 10-21-2004]
A.
This section shall be known as the "Additional Noise
Control Ordinance of the City of Northampton."
B.
It is the judgment of the City of Northampton that
excessive noise from motor vehicles, including motorcycles, recreational
vehicles, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and so called dirt bike motorcycles,
can interfere with the public health, safety and welfare and the peace
and quiet of the inhabitants of the City, and therefore in order to
promote the public health, safety and welfare and the comfort and
convenience of the inhabitants of the City of Northampton the following
is enacted:
(1)
No person shall operate a motor vehicle or recreational
vehicle, nor shall an owner of such motor vehicle or recreational
vehicle permit it to be operated, except Fire Department and Fire
Patrol apparatus, unless such motor vehicle or recreational vehicle
is equipped with a muffler to prevent excessive or unnecessary noise,
which muffler is in good working order and in constant operation.
No person shall operate a motor vehicle or recreational vehicle unless
it complies with such minimum standards for construction and performance
as the Registry of Motor Vehicles of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
may prescribe.
(2)
No person shall use a muffler cutout or bypass.
(3)
No person shall operate a motor vehicle or recreational
vehicle which motor vehicle or recreational vehicle is equipped with
a muffler from which the baffle plates, screens or other original
internal parts have been removed and not replaced, or with an exhaust
system which has been modified in a manner which will amplify or increase
the noise emitted by the exhaust.
(4)
No person operating a motor vehicle or recreational
vehicle shall sound a bell, horn or other mechanical or electronic
device or in any matter operate such vehicle as to make a harsh, objectionable
and unreasonable noise. "Harsh, objectionable and unreasonable noise,"
as used in this section, shall mean noise which constitutes disturbance
of the peace or disorderly conduct, or constitutes a violation of
MGL c. 90 § 16.[1]
(5)
No person shall operate a recreational vehicle in
a manner so that the noise from the recreational vehicle, either singularly
or collectively, causes harsh, objectionable and unreasonable noise
at the premises or in the front, back or surrounding yard of the premises
or adjoining property.
(6)
If a landowner knowingly, wantonly or negligently
permits his land to be used by recreational vehicles in a manner that
the noise from the recreational vehicles, either singularly or collectively,
cause harsh, objectionable and unreasonable noise at the premises
or the front, back or surrounding yard of the premises or adjoining
property, then the landowner or the person in lawful custody of the
property where said use occurs shall be deemed responsible for the
violation, except where a governmental entity has lawful control or
custody of the property.
C.
This section shall not apply to vehicles used for
agricultural purposes.
