County to Consider Tougher Noise Laws
Ventura County sheriff’s deputies would be given more authority to combat nighttime noise problems in unincorporated areas of the county under a proposal being considered by the Board of Supervisors.
Deputies would be allowed to cite residents who create excessive noise in their presence under the proposed ordinance, said Thomas Berg, director of the county’s Resource Management Agency. It would be up to the deputy’s discretion to determine what is excessive, he said.
Currently, excessive noise is not treated as a violation of the law if no one is willing to file a formal written complaint.
“If there’s no victim, there’s no crime,” Berg said. “But under the proposed ordinance, the officer would be able to make an independent assessment. It just gives them one little extra tool.”
Under the proposed ordinance, raucous noise would be prohibited between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. A violation could be treated either as an infraction or a misdemeanor offense.
The idea for the ordinance came from Supervisor Frank Schillo, who recently received complaints from some homeowners about loud music and parties.
The board will consider the ordinance at its Tuesday meeting.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
