Upset about Sunday construction noise
I wonder if you could shed some light on construction on Sundays. There is a new apartment complex being built next to two existing complexes and we expect noise from the site during the week, but we are extremely disturbed that during the weekends, on both Saturdays and Sundays work continues. From 8am until about 3pm today (Sunday) heavy equipment was on the site.
Is there not a Sunday law that would prohibit construction work being done on a Sunday? If not, is there anything which can be done to have the work started later – doubtful that we could appeal to the developer who clearly has no conscience as he must have scheduled his workers to be on site at that time on Sunday.
Auntie’s answer: It will probably not surprise anyone to hear that this question has come up before. I can certainly sympathise with your issue as being disturbed by construction noise any time, but especially on a Sunday, would drive me to distraction.
I answered a similar question earlier this year so this is probably a good time to discuss it again. The Department of Environmental Health handles noise complaints such as what you describe. This issue falls under the Public Health Law (2002 Revision), which sets out what constitutes a “statutory nuisance”. Part III – Nuisances. Section 7(2)(w) says any “noise or vibration (other than noise or vibration caused by an aircraft) which is a nuisance, is a statutory nuisance”.
For more details, you can read a previous column on construction noise (see Wants early-morning construction to stop).
You can lodge a complaint with the department about noise pollution by calling (743-5982), emailing or downloading and submitting the complaint form from the DEH website.
The law mentioned above can be found on the CNS Library
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Category: Ask Auntie, Misc Questions
Why especially on Sunday the noise would be a problem? Maybe for you it’s on Sunday, for me it would be on Saturday but for someone else on Friday. Why is your preference even if it’s a majority opinion would be more important and respected than mine or someone else’s?
Sunday’s are usually when most people sleep later , and I agree because I live near by and the high pressure drilling of rocky land disturbed me .