Oct 6, 2014 3 min read

CARMICHAELS – Responding to residents’ concerns about excessive noise in the community, Cumberland Township supervisors voted Monday to adopt a noise ordinance.

The ordinance sets the noise limit at 80 decibels during the day, from of 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., and 60 decibels at night, 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.

It defines how the noise will be measured and from what location relative to its source sets penalties for violators and includes a number of exemptions for such activities as emergency vehicles, repairs to municipal or public services and for farm-related activities.

The supervisors began working on the ordinance last year after residents presented them with a petition signed by 112 people requesting adoption of a noise ordinance.

Several members of the audience Monday questioned the ordinance. One woman asked how the supervisors arrived at a limit of 80 decibels for day time hours, noting some municipalities set the limit as low as 55 decibels.

Supervisors Bill Groves said the supervisors reviewed ordinances from other municipalities in preparing the township’s ordinance and others used 80 decibels. “Eighty is not very high,” he said.

Asked whether the ordinance would apply to natural gas drilling, Groves said he believes the state regulates those activities.

The supervisors also were asked if the ordinance covered rifle ranges.

Existing ranges under state law cannot be covered by the ordinance, but new ranges, or backyard ranges, at which shooting continues for more than half hour probably can, Groves said.

The supervisors voted unanimously to adopt the ordinance.

In other business, Nesmith Road resident Emmett McKenzie asked the supervisors about whether the township has a heavy hauling agreement with the drilling company that has been using his road. The road was damaged by heavy trucks, he said.

The township previously had a heavy hauling agreement on the road with a company drilling in the area but that ended, Supervisor Bill Nicholson said. Nicholson said he has traveled the road many times to see if trucks are using it, but has never found any there.

He said the supervisors would talk to the company. Groves also asked McKenzie to write down the time and dates he observes trucks on the road.

The supervisors voted to award a contract to the Delattre Corp. of Monongahela for replacing the heat and air conditioning system at the Carmichaels Senior Center, pending review of the company’s bid by the township engineer and solicitor.

The company submitted an apparent low bid of $108,930. The township will replace the system using township funds and some of the township’s Act 13 natural gas well impact fee money. The center is used as an emergency shelter.

The supervisors announced trick or treat will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Oct. 26.

They also announced clean up days will be held Oct. 18 and 19. Residents can bring unwanted household goods to the municipal building from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. those days.

The supervisors agreed to construct a water line on Old Ferry Road near Crucible to provide water to about 15 homes. Southwestern Pennsylvania Water Authority will excavate the ditch and install the line and mulch and seed the property.

The township will contribute $38,554 of its Act 13 money, purchase grass and mulch and backfill the ditch.

The supervisors accepted the resignations of Brian Sokol, David Hillsman and Vincent Colarusso from the township planning commission. They appointed Robert Rush to the commission.