WASHINGTON—A Virginia college town is about to get a lot more quiet.
Fredericksburg is tightening up its noise ordinance and honing in on late night partiers who tend to cause a ruckus in the street.
This change is in response to community complaints that pointed out the vague nature of the term, “unreasonable noise.”
Soon, it will be illegal to shout in the streets between the hours of 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. — if anyone can hear you, that is.
Assistant City Attorney Rob Eckstrom says officers already carry a tool that lets them measure decibel levels at 100 feet away. College house parties were being patrolled, but noisy crowds after the bars let out weren’t getting enough attention.
Yelling or shouting on the sidewalks after 11 p.m. was not specifically addressed in the old ordinance.
The Fredericksburg City Council voted on Tuesday to change the ordinance, and they must vote again to make it into a law.
Fairfax County, Va., is still reworking noise ordinances as well. The county Board of Supervisors is slated to vote in November on proposed new rules. Fairfax County has been working since 2013 to redefine types of noise and how to measure them.
