HomeMy WebLinkAboutNoise Advisory Committee - NAC - REV FEB 2024
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NOISE ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Members: 5-7
Quorum: A majority of the members then in office but at least 3
Appointed By: Select Board
Length of A Member's Term: 3 years, staggered
Appointments Made: September 30
Meeting Times: As posted
Description: The Noise Advisory Committee shall advise the Select Board on issues related to the noise
bylaw. The Committee is charged with annually reviewing the entire noise bylaw, monitoring its efficacy
and suggesting updates to the noise bylaw and the regulatory process that would establish and maintain
effective means of protecting residents from excessive or unwarranted noise throughout the community;
recommend amendments to the bylaws and regulations and, if required, propose appropriations so that the
noise bylaw and the related set of regulations can be effectively implemented and administered.
The Noise Advisory Committee shall work closely with other Town committees and Town departments
when activities in their purview are negatively affected by noise or create noise experienced by residents.
The Committee shall also coordinate as appropriate with intergovernmental groups from the towns
adjoining Hanscom Field on noise-related issues including the Hanscom Area Towns Committee and
Hanscom Field Advisory Commission. The Committee may participate with regional groups seeking to
acquire expertise that is broadly applicable across municipalities addressing noise-related issues.
The Noise Advisory Committee shall review and analyze on a quarterly basis all recorded complaints
concerning disturbing noise, and report to the Select Board areas of concern. The Committee may
recommend improvements to the Select Board in how complaints are reported and recorded and made
available for internal and public review.
The Noise Advisory Committee will coordinate with Town departments responsible for enforcing noise
bylaw regulations to identify challenges in enforcement with bylaw language and to obtain feedback on
any suggested changes to the bylaw in terms of enforceability.
Desired Skill Sets for the Committee as a Whole:
Public Health: The Committee will acquire expertise in public health aspects of noise to assure
that the noise bylaw contains effective means of protecting residents from excessive or
unwarranted noise that are in keeping with established research on the effects of noise.
Construction and Noise Mitigation: The Committee will acquire expertise in construction or other
noise mitigation methodologies to assure that the noise bylaw contains implementation guidance
which balances the rights of residents to not be unduly disturbed by noise with the rights of
property owners to improve their land with new construction.
Noise Perception and Measurement: The Committee acquire expertise in noise perception
measurement to assure that the noise bylaw aligns with up-to-date and feasible methodologies for
testing and documenting noise levels.
Legal Considerations: The Committee will acquire expertise in legally effective noise bylaw
language, state and federal laws to which the bylaw must conform, and bylaw language that
might inadvertently make the Town vulnerable to legal action.
Criteria for Membership: The Noise Advisory Committee will include five to seven members
considering both needed expertise and the ability to represent and protect the health, safety, welfare and
quality of life of residents who experience excessive or unwarranted noise and those who create excessive
or unwarranted noise in the process of otherwise valued activities. Non-voting liaisons from the Select
Board, the Board of Health and the Planning Board or their designees are invited to participate.
Ref.: Revised charge adopted by the Selectmen on January 12, 2004.
Board of Selectmen voted to designate as Special Municipal Employees on 1/18/06.
Revised charge adopted by the Selectmen on December 21, 2011.
Revised charge adopted by the Selectmen on January 23, 2012, revising membership to 5.
Revised charge adopted by Select Board on February 26, 2024, changing “Board of Selectmen”
to “Select Board”; changing the number of members from “5” to “5-7”; adding “Quorum: A
majority of the members then in office but at least 3”; updating Description; updating Desired
Skill Sets for the Committee as a Whole; updating Criteria for Membership.