[HISTORY: Adopted by the Common Council of the City of Norwich 5-11-1915; amended in its entirety 12-10-1940 (Ch. 60 of the 1967 Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Animals — See Ch. 153.
Nuisances — See Ch. 364.
Parks and recreation areas — See Ch. 376.
Peddling and soliciting — See Ch. 383.
Streets and sidewalks — See Ch. 486.
Vehicles and traffic — See Ch. 525.
It shall be unlawful for any person to make, continue or cause to be made or continued any unnecessary or unusual noise between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. which either annoys, injures or endangers the comfort, repose, health or safety of others, or to make, continue or cause to be made or continued between the hours of 8:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., whether in the operation of any machine or the exercise of any trade or calling or otherwise, any noise which either annoys, injures or endangers the comfort, repose, health or safety of others, unless the making and continuing of the same be necessary for the protection or preservation of property or of the health, safety, life or limb of some person.
It shall be unlawful for any person to ring any hand bell, beat or strike any pan, pail or other like article or sound any gong or blow any whistle or horn, other than musical instruments when used as a part of a band of music, except to give necessary signals upon a motor vehicle, motorcycle, bicycle or similar vehicles, or to hawk, cry or call out the sale of goods at auction or otherwise or to gain passengers for any cab, hack, taxi or other vehicle, or to make, aid, continue, encourage or assist in making any other or unusual noise upon any street or other public place or in close proximity thereto so as to be distinctly and loudly audible upon any such street or place in the City of Norwich.
It shall be unlawful for any person by himself or in the operation of any instrument, agency or vehicle to make any unnecessary or unseemly noises within 150 feet of any portion of the grounds and premises on which is located a hospital, or other institution reserved for the sick, or any school during school hours. The Chief of Police shall place as many signs as he shall deem proper within or near the zone hereby created, calling attention to the prohibition against unnecessary noises within such zone.
It shall be unlawful for any person to carry or use upon any vehicle any gong or siren whistle similar to that used on ambulances or vehicles of the Police and Fire Departments.
It shall be unlawful for any person to own, keep and have in his possession or harbor any dog which by frequent or habitual howling, yelping, barking or otherwise shall cause serious annoyance or disturbance to persons or to the neighborhood.
No person shall use or operate, or cause to be used or operated, in front or outside of any building, place or premises, nor in or through any window, doorway or opening of such building, place or premises, abutting on or adjacent to a public street or place, or upon any public street or place or on any vehicle thereon, any device or apparatus for the amplification of sounds from any radio, phonograph or other sound-making or sound-reproduction device without a permit from the Mayor or Chief of Police therefor, nor in any case within 250 feet of a school, courthouse or church during the hours of school, court or worship, respectively, nor within 250 feet of any hospital or similar institution.
It shall be unlawful for any person operating a motor vehicle, motorcycle or omnibus, as they are defined in the Vehicle and Traffic Law of the State of New York, to use a horn or other device for signaling except in a reasonable manner as a danger warning, and it shall be unlawful for any person having the management and control of any motor vehicle to sound the horn or other signaling device unnecessarily or for an unreasonable period of time.
It shall be unlawful for any person to make, aid or countenance or encourage or assist in making any unusual or improper noise, riot or disturbance in any street or public place to the annoyance or inconvenience of travelers, or to persons residing adjacent thereto; nor shall any person use any profane, obscene or vulgar language in any street or public place.
It shall be unlawful for any peddler, vender, hawker or huckster, who plies a trade or calling of whatever nature upon or adjacent to the streets of the City of Norwich, to blow upon or use, or permit to be blown upon or used, any horn or other instrument or device, nor make or suffer or to permit to be made any noise tending to disturb the peace and quiet of the neighborhood, for the purpose of directing attention to his trade or calling. No peddler shall cry or sell his wares or merchandise on Sunday, nor after 9:00 p.m., nor cry his wares before 7:00 a.m.
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Editor's Note: See also Ch. 383, Peddling and Soliciting.
It shall be unlawful for any person in conducting any building operations between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. to operate or use any pile driver, steam shovel, pneumatic hammer, derrick, steam or electric hoists or other apparatus, the use of which is attended by loud or unusual noise, except upon written permission from the Mayor or Chief of Police, and then only in cases of emergency.
No person shall at any time discharge any firearms or air guns of any sort in any of the public streets or places within the City, except when and where allowed by a special resolution of the Common Council, nor shall any person make any disturbing noise of any sort, nor incite, nor participate in, any riot in any public street or place within said City.
Any person violating any of the provisions of this chapter shall be guilty of such violation and shall be liable to a fine of not more than $1,000 or imprisonment not exceeding one year, or to both such fine and imprisonment.
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Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).