Noise complaints on the rise in Cambridge sparking a new bylaw

People who like to get up early on the weekends to get their lawn work done or construction started might be hit with a $300 fine next year.

A new noise bylaw is in the works for Cambridge, which hasn’t been touched since 2004. Some councillors didn’t like what they heard during the meeting on Tuesday though, after it was suggested to tighten the restrictions on times when noise is allowed.

During the meeting, the Manager of Municipal Bylaw Compliance for Cambridge John Mattocks said they have recorded a rise year over year in noise complaints since 2017, with a slight dip during the pandemic.

Just this year they have had 705 noise complaints up until Dec. 1. Last year they recorded 661, and in 2022 they recorded 584.

Coun. Corey Kimpson asked how many of those came from events in Riverside Park, to which Mattocks said he’d have to come back with that number later.

The new noise bylaw includes changes to construction start times and domestic tools residents use. It would also change how organizations or individuals apply for a special event permit.

Coun. Ross Earnshaw said they have had issues in the past with how those permits were approved.

“We of course had a number of events in the past year, that were approved and permitted through a process which did not involve council approbation and there was some public concern about that and indeed some concern expressed around the horseshoe.”

A noise survey they did online from Nov. 1 to Dec. 15 generated 1,235 responses and was one of the most well-responded surveys they’ve had. Mattocks told council they saw a theme in the survey of a need to increase regulations and enforcement.

When Mattocks mentioned the bylaw covers restrictions for amplified sound, some councillors asked him to define what that means.

“Amplified sound is any sound reproduction device so it could be a speaker, anything that is reproducing the music, someone speaking, that would be considered amplified sound,” responded Mattocks.

The proposed noise bylaw would prohibit any sound made using an electronic device from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. Sunday to Thursday and 11 p.m to 7 a.m. Friday and Saturday.

The bylaw proposes that construction noise run 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Saturday, with Sundays and Stat holidays off limits.

Coun. Adam Cooper asked if when in effect the noise bylaw would permit people to play music at a high level 7 a.m. Saturday morning or use domestic tools, which Mattocks confirmed was the case.

“That kind of concerns me a little bit,” said Cooper, who mentioned he would like the time pushed ahead.

 Mayor Jan Liggett agreed with Cooper, wanting to restrict the time to 8 a.m. in the morning for noise.

“I want this referred back to staff because I don’t like any of these 7 o‘clock in the morning times,” said Liggett.

One of the councillors thought that was too restrictive and reminded council not everyone works a typical Monday-to-Friday job.

“Let’s not restrict things too tight here for people. Not everybody works eight to five Monday to Friday, and we have to understand that people also have lives,” said Coun. Mike Devine.

He asked the Cambridge councillors to be more realistic.

“Not everybody works in an office. So, let’s be very careful with what we do here. I have no problem with my neighbour cutting their grass at 7 o’clock Saturday or Sunday morning because I know my neighbour and sometimes that’s the only time they have to do it.”

Mattocks mentioned the goal was to modernize the noise bylaw to allow for more effective enforcement. The current penalty is sitting at $300 but Mattocks said that could increase depending on the offence.

“City staff recognize unnecessary noise is a problem in the community,” said Mattocks during the council meeting.

Coun. Helen Shwery was concerned over the restrictions made to construction for the new bylaw.

“Construction workers do start at 7 in the morning and if we make them start later it just affects production.”

The new bylaw allows for flexibility on weekends to permit larger events like weddings, concerts and sporting events to go off without having to apply for a permit if they end their night by the time allotted.

During the meeting Mayor Liggett said she wanted more restrictions in the morning hours to limit vehicle noise.

“I have a problem with dirt bikes, e-bikes, go-karts at 7 o’clock in the morning, it’s got nothing to do with cutting the grass, I don’t want to be hearing that at 7 in the morning,” said Liggett.

Devine said he agreed with restricting noise for things like dirt bikes but limiting start times for construction would “cost industry and construction a fortune.”

Devine asked if a contractor would be allowed to work on Sundays under the new noise bylaw, to which Mattocks responded:

“If the noise could be heard outside of the property, then it would not be permitted on the Sunday or Stat Holiday.”

Devine responded to that saying, “That’s insane.”

City staff said the revised noise bylaw would come back to council in February 2025.