March 10, 2025 By Carol Britton Meyer
A citizen’s petition submitted by Crow Point resident Michael Kranzley and others seeks to amend the town’s noise control bylaw related to the hours of operation of tools and equipment used in construction, demolition, or commercial landscaping work in a residential district.
The select board discussed this petition last Thursday and will do so again at their Tuesday, March 11, meeting.
“We’re asking Town Meeting to amend this bylaw to change the hours allowed for [these activities] to Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. [from the current 7 p.m.], none on Sundays [from the current 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.] and national holidays, and to remain the same Monday through Friday [7 a.m. to 7 p.m.],” he told the board March 6.
“We’re seeking to carve out a few hours each week for peace in our neighborhoods,” Kranzley explained. “There’s been nearly constant landscaping and construction noise for years due to tremendous growth in our neighborhood, with 650 families directly impacted by construction projects — including removing ledge, which is the noise equivalent of a jet taking off.”
He went on to say that the equipment used in commercial landscaping “can reach rock concert [noise] levels. All we’re asking for is one day a week to have a peaceful breakfast on our patio and for our children to play in the yard.”
The proposed amendment, if approved, would decrease the number of hours during which construction, demolition, and commercial landscaping could be accomplished by about 14 a week, according to Kranzley. “That would still leave a lot of hours to do [those kinds of work].”
Select board member William Ramsey said the petitioners’ intent “is well received. I just want to be sure there are no unintended impacts and to check with the police chief and building commissioner.”
Check the town website calendar for the meeting agenda and time.