PETERSBURG — Discussion of the noise ordinance being crafted by Township Committee moved to construction disruption Nov. 10.
Solicitor John Amenhauser said Township Committee would like to set limits on when construction may be conducted, with a possible distinction for different zones.
“In talking with residents and other communities, I saw in ours we had a standard construction time and I’m very concerned about our resort residential. It’s obviously one of our higher-density communities,” Mayor Curtis Corson said. “Right now, Labor Day to Memorial Day, you are allowed to work on Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sundays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. There’s no time off.”
He said he is not concerned that work could take longer to complete.
Committeeman Tyler Casaccio suggested not going so far with the work ban.
“I think we could probably curtail that a little. I think as a builder — weather, disaster, unforeseen circumstances — I think we should probably leave Saturday alone,” he said. “Sunday I have no problem with.”
Corson said he considered that, but renter turnover in the resort community is Saturday, leading to more vehicles on the streets. Contractor vehicles would only exacerbate the problem.
Casaccio said eliminating Saturday hours would punish the contractors.
“Time is money to people and to force them to be delayed … ,” he said. “As a contractor myself, working through the week, stuff happens. You want to get the job done Saturday, you don’t want to have to wait till the following week Monday. I would like to balance that a little better.”
Committeeman Zach Palombo said he could see pros and cons of both choices.
Corson said he would like to keep the times the same, noting they mirror the landscape ordinance.
“We don’t allow landscaping 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Why do we want construction and pile driving and demolition in a resort community?” Corson said.
Amenhauser said holidays already are carved out during the summer months. Corson said he thinks holidays should be off-limits for work year-round. They did not discuss which holidays would be included in the ban.
“You own a multimillion-dollar home, you can’t even enjoy it on a holiday,” Corson said.
The other restrictions would apply only in the resort residential and resort commercial zones and only between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
“I think when you have high density, you have problems. If someone out in a more rural section of the township wants to work seven days a week, I don’t think it’s an impact but it is an impact on the resort communities such as Strathmere,” Corson said.
He also singled out the proposed development at the former B.L. England Generating Station site.
“They’re proposing a multimillion-dollar development. Maybe the first people in there for years are going to have to deal with it seven days a week — that’s not fair,” Corson said.
Emergency situations such as sewer breaks or burst pipes would continue to be exempt.
There also was continued talk on the section related to commercial businesses.
Amenhauser said he looked at regulations in other towns in Cape May County and found little consensus.
“Not surprisingly, everybody handles it differently,” he said, noting some set 9 p.m. as a cutoff for music and others as late as 11 p.m.
“Our nearest island community, Ocean City, just over the bridge, they have a noise ordinance that provides for quiet hours between 10 (p.m.) and 8 a.m., which is what we are proposing,” Amenhauser said, noting the city also has the same plainly audible standard of 100 feet.
Corson said he supports the 10 p.m. cutoff, noting he is familiar with the New Jersey campground code, which sets the cutoff for 11 p.m.
“I don’t think that’s reasonable in the resort community,” he said.
Calling it a work in progress, Amenhauser said he would amend the ordinance and return it to Township Committee for further review.
By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff
