Letter: Public safety meeting will address excessive noise

Do you ever have to turn on fans for “white noise” or have you ever had to wear earmuffs or earplugs to get some quiet at home? Then please attend the Public Safety Commission meeting at 7 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 27 at City Hall, when the issue of excessive noise will be addressed. Every household creates and is exposed to noise, be it yard equipment or new construction. This kind of normal neighborhood noise has a beginning and an end. Other situations however will affect the quality of your life for years and we have a chance to address those issues this month.

For example, a neighbor retires and takes up woodworking as a hobby using ear-drum-splitting power tools on an almost daily basis to build furniture and kitchen cupboards in the driveway a few feet from your living space. For several years my family and our neighbors have been living next to a permanent construction site identical to that example. The way the city’s noise ordinance is written, the “noise producer” has rights, but the neighbors’ rights cannot be enforced. California noise laws state, “All Californians are entitled to a peaceful and quiet environment without the intrusion of noise which may be hazardous to health and welfare.”

Even if you don’t find yourself in a similar situation now, you might in the future. I urge you to come to the meeting on Jan. 27 and be heard. La Cañada is a desirable city to live in. A more comprehensive noise ordinance can only add to the appeal.

Helga Ohannesian
La Cañada Flintridge