VINTON PASSES ORDINANCE LIMITING NOISE

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, February 19, 1992                   TAG: 9202190325
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: BETSY BIESENBACH
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short
VINTON PASSES ORDINANCE LIMITING NOISE
Vinton Town Council has given its citizens the means to prosecute nuisance complaints by passing its first noise ordinance Tuesday.
Six residents showed up to support the ordinance. Town Attorney Buck Heartwell told the citizens that in the event of a violation, they could call the police, or swear out a warrant at the magistrate's office.
The measure closely parallels one approved by Roanoke last year. The issue was first brought before council six months ago, said Councilman Ray Sandifer, but it was put on hold, pending the drafting of a noise ordinance by Roanoke County.
The matter was brought up again at a meeting on Feb. 4, when council decided the county was not moving fast enough on the issue.
The ordinance states that anyone who produces a noise that endangers or injures the health and safety of another person, annoys or disturbs a resonable person of normal sensitivities or endangers or injures personal property will be charged with a class 4 misdemeanor, which carries a fine of up to $500.
The ordinance will be in effect from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., and it prohibits operating construction equipment; maintaining motor vehicles; loading or unloading trucks outdoors; blowing car horns; playing radios, stereos, televisions and musical instruments loudly enough to be heard across property lines or through partitions between adjoining residences; operating a loudspeaker; driving a car without a factory-installed muffler; and driving automobiles with loud sound systems, commonly know as "boom cars."

by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB