§ 45-2-57. Town of Richmond — Noise pollution.
For the purpose of promoting the public health, safety and general welfare, the town council of the town of Richmond shall have the power in accordance with the provisions of this section to establish by ordinance standards for the control of noise originating within the limits of the town. Without limiting the generality of the aforementioned, such ordinance shall:
(1) Establish standards for the control of noise originating within the limits of the town by setting maximum permissible sound levels for various activities and noise sources in order to protect the public health, safety and general welfare, provided that the regulation of noise from any particular source has not been preempted by state or federal law or regulation;
(2) Regulate noise pollution based on factors including but not limited to the volume of the noise, the intensity of the noise, whether the nature of the noise is usual or unusual, whether the origin of the noise is natural or unnatural, the volume and intensity of the background noise, if any, the proximity of the noise to residential dwellings, the location from which the noise emanates, the density of inhabitation of the area within which the noise emanates, the time of day or night the noise occurs, the duration of the noise, whether the noise is recurrent, intermittent or constant, and whether the noise is produced by a commercial or noncommercial activity;
(3) Establish use districts for regulation of noise, establish maximum permissible sound levels according to receiving land use, and provide that measurement of sound or noise shall be made with a sound level meter and octave band analyzer meeting the standards prescribed by the American Standards Association;
(4) Include definitions of words, terms and phrases necessary for the enforcement of the ordinance, and provide that definitions of technical terms not defined in the ordinance shall be obtained from publications of acoustical terminology issued by American National Standards Institute or its successor body;
(5) Provide that limitations shall not apply to sound from certain sources, including but not limited to emergency vehicles and snow removal equipment;
(6) Provide for enforcement by police department and/or by the town solicitor, who may institute an action for injunctive relief together with an action for penalties in the case of continuing violations;
(7) Provide the town council with the authority to grant sound variances after a public hearing, establish criteria for the granting of such variances and providing the town council with the authority to impose conditions on such variances; and
(8) Establish penalties for violation consistent with those established by state law for violation of municipal ordinances, provide the police department with the authority to issue warnings and cease and desist orders, and provide that each day of noise disturbance shall be considered a separate offense.
History of Section.P.L. 2008, ch. 284, § 1.
Structure Rhode Island General Laws
Section 45-2-1. - Charters and special acts.
Section 45-2-2. - Power to tax property.
Section 45-2-2.1. - Tax compacts between municipalities.
Section 45-2-3. - Power to appropriate money.
Section 45-2-3.1. - Powers of certain towns.
Section 45-2-3.3. - Background checks.
Section 45-2-3.4. - Background checks.
Section 45-2-4. - Power to own property and make contracts.
Section 45-2-5. - Power to use, lease, or dispose of property no longer needed.
Section 45-2-5.1. - Westerly municipal land trust.
Section 45-2-5.2. - Prudence Island school foundation.
Section 45-2-6. - Lands given for specific use not subject to disposal.
Section 45-2-7. - Providence school land unaffected.
Section 45-2-8. - Ratification of prior conveyances.
Section 45-2-9. - Continuation in force of town and city laws.
Section 45-2-10. - Election and appointment of officers and agents.
Section 45-2-11. - Medical services for employees.
Section 45-2-12. - Town of New Shoreham may establish police court.
Section 45-2-13. - City of Pawtucket — Municipal police court — Municipal housing court.
Section 45-2-14. - City of Central Falls — Police court.
Section 45-2-15.2. - Municipal employees — Residency within municipality not required.
Section 45-2-16. - Naming of city or town constructions.
Section 45-2-17. - Regulation of liquefied natural gas facilities.
Section 45-2-18. - City of Providence — Establishment of department of public parks.
Section 45-2-19. - City of Warwick — Municipal court.
Section 45-2-20. - Town of Coventry — Establishment of a senior citizens’ board.
Section 45-2-21. - City of Cranston — Municipal court.
Section 45-2-22. - Arson prevention programs.
Section 45-2-24. - Town of Coventry — Municipal court.
Section 45-2-25. - City of Woonsocket — Municipal court.
Section 45-2-26. - Town of West Warwick — Municipal court.
Section 45-2-27. - City of Central Falls — Municipal court.
Section 45-2-28. - Charitable contributions.
Section 45-2-29. - Town of Westerly — Municipal court.
Section 45-2-30. - Town of Narragansett — Municipal court.
Section 45-2-31. - Registration of business name in the town of North Providence.
Section 45-2-31.1. - Business registration fee — Town of Johnston.
Section 45-2-31.2. - Business registration fee — Town of Warren.
Section 45-2-31.3. - Business registration fee — Town of Smithfield.
Section 45-2-31.4. - Business registration fee — Town of Richmond.
Section 45-2-31.5. - Town of Warren — Delegation of local licensing authority.
Section 45-2-32. - Town of Charlestown — Municipal court.
Section 45-2-33. - Additional substance abuse prevention assessment.
Section 45-2-34. - Town of Tiverton — Municipal court.
Section 45-2-35. - Town of New Shoreham — Landing fee.
Section 45-2-35.1. - City of Newport — Landing and boarding fees.
Section 45-2-35.2. - Town of Narragansett — Landing fee.
Section 45-2-36. - Town of Exeter — Tax assessor.
Section 45-2-37. - Town of Middletown — Municipal court.
Section 45-2-38. - City of East Providence — Municipal court.
Section 45-2-39. - Care and repair of stone walls.
Section 45-2-39.1. - Theft of historic stone walls.
Section 45-2-41. - Residency requirements — Generally.
Section 45-2-42. - Town of East Greenwich — Smoking prohibited in municipal buildings.
Section 45-2-43. - Right of way tree planting.
Section 45-2-44. - Town of Cumberland — Municipal court.
Section 45-2-45. - Town of Bristol — Municipal court.
Section 45-2-46. - Towns of Burrillville and North Smithfield — Municipal court.
Section 45-2-47. - Town of Warren — Municipal court — Municipal housing court.
Section 45-2-48. - Town of East Greenwich — Municipal court.
Section 45-2-49. - Town of Burrillville — Municipal court.
Section 45-2-50. - Town of Exeter — Municipal court.
Section 45-2-51. - [Repealed.]
Section 45-2-51.1. - Town of Lincoln — Municipal court — Municipal housing court.
Section 45-2-52. - Town of Jamestown — Municipal Court.
Section 45-2-53. - Town of North Kingstown — Fence viewer.
Section 45-2-54. - Regulation of excavating.
Section 45-2-55. - Town of North Kingstown — Municipal Court.
Section 45-2-56. - Town of Hopkinton — Municipal Court.
Section 45-2-57. - Town of Richmond — Noise pollution.
Section 45-2-58. - Town of Smithfield — Municipal court.
Section 45-2-59. - Town of North Smithfield — Municipal court.
Section 45-2-60. - City of Pawtucket — Licenses.
Section 45-2-61. - Town of Barrington — Municipal court.
Section 45-2-62. - [Repealed.]
Section 45-2-62.1. - Town of Portsmouth — Municipal court — Municipal housing court.
Section 45-2-63. - Town of Richmond — Municipal court.
Section 45-2-64. - Town of Coventry — Regulation of asphalt or continuous mixing facilities.
Section 45-2-65. - Right to counsel.
Section 45-2-66. - Ability to pay hearings.
Section 45-2-67. - Town of South Kingstown — Municipal court.