Naples Daily News
January 18, 2007
As the debate over noise in the City of Naples continues to heat up, we must look at both the validity of the resident complaints about noise and the position of the commercial establishments along Fifth Avenue and elsewhere.
Both the City and County have noise ordinances in place. If the establishments themselves are not violating the respective ordinances, they should not be penalized by having their hours of operation restricted. It is unfair to penalize them for the actions of a few.
The answer may well be more strict enforcement of noise regulations, as they pertain to rowdy behavior, on-street music, vehicle noise, etc. If this means more police, properly equipped and trained to enforce the existing regulations, so be it! If it is necessary to update those regulations, this is a good time to start!
As a specialist in community noise, I look forward to volunteering my input at the upcoming “workshop” on this issue, and congratulate city leaders for this common-sense approach to resolving the issue.
Robert Andres, CSP,CPE,DABFE
Principal
Environmental Safety Associates
Syracuse, NY and Naples, FL
Technical Advisor – Noise Free America
www.noisefree.org