HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-07-02-NAC-min Town of Lexington
Noise Advisory Committee (NAC)
Minutes of Meeting, July 2,2024
The meeting of the Noise Advisory Committee ("NAC") was held in person in the Dawes Room
of the Town Office Building on Tuesday July 2, 2024 at 7 PM
NAC Members Present: Barbara Katzenberg (Chair), Sallye Bleiberg, Benjamin Lees, Laura
Rosen, Elaine Rudell
Absent: Joe Pato (Select Board Liaison)
Introduction and Administration
1. Barbara Katzenberg called the meeting to order at 7 PM
2. Minutes of the June 3, 2024 meeting were approved unanimously
Committee Business
1. The committee reviewed its charter and the current noise by-laws. The committee
agreed with Ms. Katzenberg's proposal that the ad hoc staff group previously tasked with
working on the noise by-laws be invited to meet with this committee to better understand
the issues they faced.
2. The committee agreed to begin its work by examining the noise complaints between
January 1, 2024, and June 30, 2024, in terms of numbers, types, and steps taken toward
resolutions. Ms. Katzenberg took the task of contacting the Building Commissioner Jim
Kelly; Ms. Rudell, the Department of Public Health Director Joanne Belanger; and Ms.
Bleiberg, the Police Department. The issue of suggesting one central database for all
noise complaints was left for future discussion.
3. Additionally, Mr. Lees raised concern about the hours allowed for construction and other
noises in the bylaws. A distinction was made between OSHA's recommendation that
workers not be exposed to noise above 85 decibel levels for more than 40 hours per
week and the ill-effects of sleep disturbance and other stresses caused by noise for
abutters. An article sent to the committee by Selectboard Member Mark Sandeen was
cited.
4. A question was asked about whether Lexington's hours allowing for noise are consistent
with other municipalities.
5. Mr. Lees will obtain information about any special permits by the Selectboard for noise
outside the constraints of the by-law.
The next meeting is August 6, 2024, at 7pm. The meeting was adjourned at 8:08pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Sallye Bleiberg