Amending Chapter 20 Entitled Motor Vehicle Noise Control

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ORDINANCE NO. b l O r0' AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 20 OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, BY THE INCLUSION OF NEW ARTICLE 12 ENTITLED MOTOR VEHICLE NOISE CONTROL STATEMENT 'OF PURPOSE AND INTENT The Common Council of the City of South Bend, Indiana, recognizes that cities are granted the power to regulate, license, and prohibit any sound which endangers the public health, safety, or welfare; or causes injury to property pursuant to Indiana Code 18- 1- 1.5 -12. The Common Council further recognizes that our present local ordinances do not adequately address or control excessive motor vehicle noises. The following bill incorporates many of the regulations which have been successfully enforced and judicially upheld in Fort Wayne; Huntington; and Trotwood, Ohio. NOW, THEREFORE BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, as follows: SECTION I. Chapter 20 of the Municipal Code of the City of South Bend, Indiana, is hereby amended by the inclusion of New Article 12 which shall read in its entirety as follows: ARTICLE 12. Motor Vehicle Noise Control. Sec. 20 -120. Leqislative Findinqs (a) The South Bend Common Council hereby finds that there is a need to develop better noise control regulations in light of the serious hazards which excessive noise can cause to public health, welfare, safety, and the quality of life. (_b) The Council therefore declares that the following motor vehicle noise control regulations shall apply to all motor vehicles operating in the City of South Bend, Indiana. Sec. 20 -121. Definitions 1. A- WEIGHTED SOUND LEVEL: The sound pressure level in decibels as measured on a sound level meter using the A- Weighting network. The level so read is designated db (A) or dBA 2. DECIBEL (db): A unit for measuring the volume of a sound, equal to 20 times the logarithm to the base 10 of the ratio of the pressure of the sound measured to the reference pressure, which is 20 miscopascals (20 micronewtons per square meter). 3. LIGHT -MOTOR VEHICLES: Any automobile, van, motorcXcle, motor driven cycle, motorscooter, dune buggy, snow- mobile, all terraine vehicles, go carts, minibikes, trail bikes, and trucks with gross vehiclular weight of less than 8,000 pounds.