rochester: so not n*o*i*s*e

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Patrick Flanigan
Staff writer

(August 20, 2005) — George Shmergel has heard it again and again.

First a group of young adults gather on a porch near his Harvard Street home for drinks and conversation.

As the night moves along, they start talking louder.

"Then they start talking real loud, and it gets to yelling," said Shmergel, who has lived in the Park Avenue neighborhood for more than 30 years. "Then when the party breaks up, they'll mingle in the yard and on the street and keep yelling. Sometimes the language gets obscene and aggressive."

Such noise is certainly a nuisance. But the city's noise ordinance doesn't prohibit loud talking unless the voices are amplified.

That's about to change. City Council President Lois Giess and Councilman Wade Norwood have introduced legislation that would change the definition of inappropriate noise to include any sound —including human voices — that's loud enough to be heard at certain distances, depending on the time of the day.

"Noise is a nuisance and it's a nuisance that must be controlled," said Norwood, who is also running for mayor.

Under the amended ordinance, inappropriate noise would be defined as any sound that can be heard beyond 50 feet from a property line between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m.; anywhere beyond the property line from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m.; and beyond 50 feet from the noise source if it's in a public place, such as a street or a park at any time.

The legislation would give the administrators of the city's Neighborhood Empowerment Team offices the authority to issue a noise-ordinance ticket. It also gives police the authority to ticket the owners of cars (not just the drivers) that are the source of loud noise.

Giess and Norwood said noise complaints account for about half of the complaints they receive from citizens each week.

The noise ordinance, created in 1973, was amended in 1983 to regulate amplified noise by the time of day and distance from the property line or source. A provision giving police authority to tow vehicles that are sources of loud noise was added in 1998. And in 2002, City Council gave police the authority to issue noise tickets based on depositions from witnesses, even if the officer didn't hear the loud noise.

Shmergel said he's glad to see the council members continue their effort to strengthen the ordinance and crack down on loud noise.

"This will significantly improve our quality of life," he said.

― tehRZA gibbons (tehresa), Saturday, 20 August 2005 21:44 (twenty years ago)

"Noise is a nuisance and it's a nuisance that must be controlled," said Norwood, who is also running for mayor.

― tehRZA gibbons (tehresa), Saturday, 20 August 2005 21:46 (twenty years ago)

i haven't really been following this race but all the candidates seem pretty non-noize! park ave is not very noize.

― caitlin oh no (caitxa1), Saturday, 20 August 2005 21:52 (twenty years ago)

shmergel is definitely not noise.

― tehRZA gibbons (tehresa), Saturday, 20 August 2005 21:53 (twenty years ago)

SHMERGEL! i'm sick of people complaining about loud neighbors! get an earplug!

― caitlin oh no (caitxa1), Saturday, 20 August 2005 21:56 (twenty years ago)

if this passes maybe kate should just move here and she'd never have to deal with noisy neighbors again.

― tehRZA gibbons (tehresa), Saturday, 20 August 2005 21:59 (twenty years ago)

Harris Seeds is noize

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Sunday, 21 August 2005 06:48 (twenty years ago)

Irondequoit Bay is npoize

http://www.rochesterfurnished.com/photopagebottom/w-refreshing-irondequoit-bay-nearby.jpg

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Sunday, 21 August 2005 06:54 (twenty years ago)

desolate stretches of the Erie Canal are NOIZE

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Sunday, 21 August 2005 06:59 (twenty years ago)

green steel truss bridges are very noize

http://www.mryamamoto.topcities.com/saratoga/2035.jpg

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Sunday, 21 August 2005 07:03 (twenty years ago)

Armand Schaubroek is totally NOIZED the fuck out

http://www.headheritage.co.uk/unsung/features/images/armand_shakin_shakin.jpg

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Sunday, 21 August 2005 07:12 (twenty years ago)

as is the Chuckster

http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drf500/f594/f59455m3oes.jpg

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Sunday, 21 August 2005 07:13 (twenty years ago)

Noise

http://www.cheesyeddies.com/images/storefront.jpg

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Sunday, 21 August 2005 07:15 (twenty years ago)

the Rochester Red Wings are NOIZE

http://www.rochestersports.com/cal_ripken/images/rips001.jpg

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Sunday, 21 August 2005 07:16 (twenty years ago)

White Hots are noize

http://madeinrochester.com/ProductCart/pc/catalog/ZWEG-100082.JPG

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Sunday, 21 August 2005 07:23 (twenty years ago)

raging rhinos = not noise.

abandoned subway = definitely noise.

http://www.animatusstudio.com/videoproduction/vsubbigprev.html

― tehRZA gibbons (tehresa), Sunday, 21 August 2005 07:30 (twenty years ago)

aren't they closing it up? something was happening in the spring.

― caitlin oh no (caitxa1), Sunday, 21 August 2005 12:22 (twenty years ago)

desolate stretches of the Erie Canal are NOIZE

I never got to go that far out.

I am kinda disappointed I only had a car in rochester for like 6 weeks.

― I'm Hi, Jared Fogle (ex machina), Sunday, 21 August 2005 17:06 (twenty years ago)

hi dree!

― caitlin oh no (caitxa1), Friday, 2 September 2005 13:42 (twenty years ago)

caitlin are you back?
we should go to ETHIOPIAN restaurant sometime and, when you are old enough, out for booze!

― tehRZA gibbons (tehresa), Sunday, 4 September 2005 02:34 (twenty years ago)

yes i am back. i am very sad here. i can't get internets until sept 23rd or so. my shower doesn't work right, my oven and stove seem to be broken (can't cook anything at all, surviving on nectarines and yogurt), i'm getting fat, and i need a boy. i also bought a french press thinking it was 3 cups but it was only 1.5 cups (way too small), but lost the receipt so i can't return it! and the cookie sheet i got (because i stepped on my other one and BENT it) is TOO BIG FOR MY OVEN. also i got the wrong kind of lampshade, so i exchanged it for one that is the WRONG FUCKING SIZE!!!!

― caitlin oh no (caitxa1), Sunday, 4 September 2005 15:33 (twenty years ago)

oh also i went to see pengo (who were fantastic) and 16 bitch pileup (who were so so dull) last night. i got too bored after 16 bitch pileup to stay for the remaining acts so i went to bed.

― caitlin oh no (caitxa1), Sunday, 4 September 2005 15:36 (twenty years ago)

we can get ethiopian food anytime if you don't mind my nasty mood. would be great especially because of the stove situation. call five won ate three three nein three fore seven ate

― caitlin oh no (caitxa1), Sunday, 4 September 2005 15:39 (twenty years ago)

There was this girl from 16 bitch p1leup being really annoying at n0 fun fe5t #1 who was really annoying and kept trying to talk to bands playing in the basement. I then accidentally made fun of her to her friends. OOPS

― Fushigina Blobby: Blobania no Kiki (ex machina), Sunday, 4 September 2005 22:51 (twenty years ago)

tehresa i'm hungry and i don't have any food except old chinese food and bananas and apples. let's go now.

― caitlin oh no (caitxa1), Monday, 5 September 2005 20:08 (twenty years ago)

also i don't have internets kbye

― caitlin oh no (caitxa1), Monday, 5 September 2005 20:08 (twenty years ago)

was that the chick with the quotation mark tattoooooood on her arm?

― hstencil (hstencil), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 18:50 (twenty years ago)

did something tragic befall our tehRZA?

― caitlin oh no (caitxa1), Thursday, 8 September 2005 13:11 (twenty years ago)

caitlin! i am alive! i did not internet for many days because internetting requires hooking up my ghetto computer in the living room because i don't have a wireless adapter and my room is upstairs. also, i was in ny for 2 days. anyway i've been lazy but tonight i've got it all set up dorky rit style and amanda and i are sitting side by side in silence computing and watching tv.

anyway, let's do ethiopean soon! next week (i think) i am switching to working 3-11:30 sun-thurs so i will not be free for dinners other than friday/sat. also i live in greece now (ew!). it's nice to live in a house, though.

my digitz be three two nine six one six six.

― tehRZA gibbons (tehresa), Thursday, 8 September 2005 23:42 (twenty years ago)

WIRELESS ADAPTERS ARE LIKE 20 BUCKS BRO

― Fushigina Blobby: Blobania no Kiki (ex machina), Friday, 9 September 2005 04:24 (twenty years ago)

tonight I met a guy from WEBSTER! who also at one point worked for the same company I work for. He drew me a diagram of the company fuck tree. insanity.

anyway, big up ya chess WEBSTER posse

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Friday, 9 September 2005 05:54 (twenty years ago)

ok so it's been 6 days since i requested that they fix my stove and shower and yesterday i asked about it and the lady was like oh there was a hot water leak yesterday so he was busy but probably today and i get home and nothing happened. i bet they won't fix it today either. i'm mad. i want to go today because i haven't eaten real food in more than a week.

― caitlin oh no (caitxa1), Friday, 9 September 2005 13:11 (twenty years ago)

ok nevermind, it works now. if they'd only fix the shower! so it's not an emergency anymore since i can cook for myself, so we can go any time!

― caitlin oh no (caitxa1), Saturday, 10 September 2005 15:19 (twenty years ago)

hi! i can go tonight or tomorrow, then we will have to wait til next weekend. how does tomorrow sound? i just got up 30 min ago so i think i'm too lazy to do anything today...

― tehRZA gibbons (tehresa), Saturday, 10 September 2005 20:37 (twenty years ago)

wegmans now sells sparks!

there is a motion-activated display in the beer walk-in that yells at you to drink sparks and plays funny music!

― tehRZA gibbons (tehresa), Sunday, 11 September 2005 23:20 (twenty years ago)

WTF :((((((

jealous

― Fushigina Blobby: Blobania no Kiki (ex machina), Monday, 12 September 2005 00:01 (twenty years ago)

NICE MYSPACE BULLETIN

― tehRZA gibbons (tehresa), Monday, 12 September 2005 00:51 (twenty years ago)

tehRZA you have to call me because i can't aaccess cyberspace at all times during the day! next weekend is ok though.

― caitlin oh no (caitxa1), Monday, 12 September 2005 12:39 (twenty years ago)

why not just post your numbers here

― why not (ex machina), Monday, 12 September 2005 12:46 (twenty years ago)

already did, smart guy

― tehRZA gibbons (tehresa), Monday, 12 September 2005 16:45 (twenty years ago)

caitlin call me if you want to go to ethiopian this weekend. i am free all day fri and sat!

― tehRZA gibbons (tehresa), Friday, 16 September 2005 07:23 (twenty years ago)

i think i am going to movies sometime tonight or tomorrow late afternoon, also i am sick. doesn't look good. maybe...

― caitlin oh no (caitxa1), Friday, 16 September 2005 12:49 (twenty years ago)

caitlin, why do you get sick all the time? you are healthy and joke and don't dirnk smoke or fuck

― ~~~~ DODONGO DISLIKES SMOKE ~~~~ (ex machina), Friday, 16 September 2005 16:30 (twenty years ago)

i don't know i think i got it from computers at the public library. i rarely get sick though! once or twice per year.

― caitlin oh no (caitxa1), Friday, 16 September 2005 17:10 (twenty years ago)

maybe it was moving. i never get sick either but i woke up after my first night in this house unable to breathe, with a sore throat, and the worst head congestion ever. that lasted almost two weeks.

― tehRZA gibbons (tehresa), Friday, 16 September 2005 23:57 (twenty years ago)

caitlin, i am being forcedto go to muthers on wednesday night. you should go because they will let you in even though you're young, and also because i want some not gay co-worker people there.

― tehRZA gibbons (tehresa), Tuesday, 20 September 2005 03:56 (twenty years ago)

my friend always tries to make me go to gay bars. no way man, i mean "i don't mind gay people, until they hit on me. gross, man."

― caitlin oh no (caitxa1), Tuesday, 20 September 2005 20:07 (twenty years ago)

i have internet now. i don't know where to get a bike, i really need one, bad.

― caitlin oh no (caitxa1), Friday, 23 September 2005 14:26 (twenty years ago)

two weeks pass...

POPPED COLLARS IN ROCHESTER: DEFINITELY NOT NOISE

― tehresa (tehresa), Monday, 10 October 2005 04:44 (twenty years ago)

(the picture doesn't do it justice)

― tehresa (tehresa), Monday, 10 October 2005 04:45 (twenty years ago)

jesus christ. i'm moving.

― caitlin oh no (caitxa1), Monday, 10 October 2005 10:10 (twenty years ago)

should i beg my job to let me off work on monday for this?

i've still never seen pengo!

― tehresa (tehresa), Thursday, 13 October 2005 05:05 (twenty years ago)

two months pass...

GOODBYE FAST FERRY!!!!!

― tres letraj (tehresa), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 22:17 (twenty years ago)

tell me about the (metro)

― terry lennox. (gareth), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 22:40 (twenty years ago)

one year passes...

desolate stretches of the Erie Canal are NOIZE

^ yep

― Catsupppppppppppppp dude 茄蕃, Sunday, 30 December 2007 00:18 (eighteen years ago)

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