Submitted by Joel D. Muhlbaum, Chair, Greenwich Board of Health
On behalf of the Board of Health and the Department of Health, I wish to congratulate and commend the Office of the First Selectman and the entire 230-member RTM legislative body for adopting a newly revised noise ordinance for the Town of Greenwich.
I was particularly impressed by our RTM members who, through their thoughtful and methodical deliberation (with the essential guidance of the RTM Moderator), moved forward with adopting a new revised noise ordinance which is already “on the books.”
The RTM meeting held on Tuesday January 16, 2024 adopting the revised noise ordinance with RTM oversight and control moving forward, is the exact result that the Board of Health wished to achieve by its repeal of the then existing noise ordinance historically under Board of Health’s purview.
In the resolution by the Board of Health adopted at the Special Meeting of the Board held on December 7, 2023, the repeal of the then existing noise ordinance from the purview of the Board of Health (including supervision, fine imposition for ordinance violations and the granting of variances) would “give the RTM a clear, unencumbered pathway to crafting its own RTM governed and supervised noise ordinance.”
As no imminent health issue regarding only gas-operated leaf blowers was substantiated and established by Quiet Yards Greenwich when it appeared before the Board of Health to warrant a change to the then existing noise ordinance as presented to the Board (after months of thoughtful consideration and review), moving control of the ordinance to the RTM on the quality of life issues presented was the appropriate and prudent action to take by the Board of Health.
I urge all of the residents of the town to read the Board of Health resolution from that December 7, 2023 Board of Health Special Meeting in order to understand the background and chronology of this matter and to gain a better understanding of how our Board got to where it was and how and why we made our unanimous decision. Finally, the Board of Health stands by its resolution, stands by its decision and believes that the repeal of the noise ordinance (taking the Board of Health out of the regulation of noise in the town) is in the best interests of all involved.
Respectfully Submitted,
Joel D. Muhlbaum, Chair
Greenwich Board of Health