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HomeMy WebLinkAboutORD 1990-065 1988-1992COUNTY OF HAWAII .; STATE OF HAWAII ORDINANCE NO. 90 65 Bill No.254 (Draft 3) AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 14, ARTICLE 3, OF THE HAWAII COUNTY CODE 1983, RELATING TO NOISE CONTROL. BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAII: SECTION 1. Legislative Findings and Puroose. The County of Hawaii, having received an increasing number of complaints from the citizens of the County concerning noise, and having made certain observations on the subject, hereby finds that: (a) Excessive noise, when unnecessary to the carrying on of religious, political, civic, or commercial activities, or when not generated in the course of other activity necessary to the carrying on of daily life, creates a significant threat to the public health, safety and welfare. (b) Those noises which are most obnoxious to the public health, safety, and welfare of the community are those which are loud, boisterous, raucous, unseemly, or which are generated solely for the purpose of entertainment of a person or group of persons without regard to the health, welfare and safety of others who are unable to avoid being subjected to such noises. (c) There has been an alarming increase in the frequency and volume of noise generated from car stereos and from the many portable sound reproducing devices available today, such as portable radios, tape recorders, and cassette players. It is, therefore, the intent of this ordinance to protect the rights of the public to enjoy a peaceful and healthful environment, without substantially interfering with the rights of the individual to obtain information and derive pleasure by listening to radios and other devices. SECTION 2. Chapter 14, article 3, of the Hawaii County Code 1983, relating to noise control, is amended to read as follows: "Article 3. Noise Control. Section 14-17. Definition. (a) As used in this article, unless the context clearly requires otherwise: (1) [ 'Loud speaker or megaphone'] 'Machine or device for reproducing sound' includes any magnifying sound instrument [or device] used in the production or [reproduction] replication of music, spoken words, or other sounds, or any other sound [amplifying devices] amplification designed to enlarge the volume of sound produced by any instrument or by the human voice_ [, which instrument or device is used for the purpose of advertising or calling attention to any article, thing, or event, or for the purpose of addressing the public or attracting the attention of the public; provided that these terms shall not include the following: (A) Amplifying devices within sight-seeing cars, buses, motor coaches, or other similar vehicles, designed primarily to address passengers within the vehicles, and the sound therefrom primarily confined within the body of such vehicles. dM (B) Radios and phonographs within the body of any vehicle designed for the person within the vehicle, and the sound therefrom primarily confined within the body of the vehicle. (C) Amplifying devices on authorized emergency vehicles. Section 14-18. Use of loud speaker or megaphone on moving vehicles. (a) No operator of a motor vehicle shall operate, manipulate, or use a loud speaker or megaphone when the vehicle is in motion. (b) This section shall not apply to the driver of an authorized emergency vehicle operating during an emergency, to a police officer in the performance of his duty, or to the passenger of a vehicle other than the driver. Emergency vehicles when operating under the exception specified in this section, shall drive with caution and care for the safety of others. Section 14-19. Hours restricted; Sunday excepted. (a) No person shall operate a loud speaker or megaphone from a vehicle on a street or highway on Sundays, or between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. on any other day of the week. (b) The chief of police or his authorized representative may issue permits for the use of a loud speaker or megaphone from any vehicle in a parade or motorcade conducted within the period from 6:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. In no event shall he issue a permit for the use of a megaphone or loud speaker on Sundays.] -3- Section 14- Use of sound reproducing devices in public areas. (a) It shall be a violation of law for any person or persons to play, use, operate, or permit to be played, used, or operated any radio, tape recorder, cassette player, or other machine or device for reproducing sound, if: (1) Such machine or device is located in or on: (A) Any public property, including any public street, highway, building, sidewalk, park, or thoroughfare; or (B) Any motor vehicle on a public street, highway, or public space; and (2) The sound generated by such machine or device is audible at a distance of 50 feet from the machine or device producing the sound. (b) Possession by a person or persons of any of the machines or devices enumerated in subsection (a) shall be prima facie evidence that that person, or those persons, operated the machine or device at the time in question, in violation of this section. Section 14- Enforcement. (a) Powers of Arrest or Citation. Any police officer shall be authorized to issue a citation for any violation under this article. An arrest under the provisions of this article may only be effected by a police officer, and only in instances where: -4- (1) The alleged violator refuses to provide the officer with such person's name and address and any proof thereof as may be reasonably available to the alleged violator. (2) when the alleged violator refuses to cease such activity after being issued a citation. (b) Citation. (1) There shall be provided for use by authorized police officers, a form of citation for use in citing violators of this article which does not mandate physical arrest of such violators. The form and content of such citation shall be as adopted or prescribed by the administrative judge of the district court and shall be printed on a form commensurate with the form of other citations used in modern methods of arrest, so designed to include all necessary information to make the same valid within the laws and regulations of the State of Hawaii and the County of Hawaii. (2) In every case when a citation is issued, a copy of the same shall be given to the violator. (3) Every citation shall be consecutively numbered and each carbon coov shall bear the name of its respective original. Section 14- Permits. (a) A permit for a temporary exemption from the provisions of subsection (a) of this article may be issued by the chief of police to commercial, religious, political, civic, charitable, athletic and other organizations, or individuals, for activities -5- such as carnivals, parades, fund raisers, fairs, bazaars, public speeches and meetings. (b) The chief of police shall prescribe a form of application for such a permit which shall be completed by the applicant and which, when completed, shall state the date, time of day, duration, and nature of the proposed activity, the reason for the proposed activity, the name of the person who shall be in charge of the proposed activity, and such other pertinent information as the chief shall deem necessary. (c) In determining whether to grant or deny an application for a permit hereunder, the chief shall consider the information provided in the application together with the impact of the proposed noise on the health, safety and welfare of the residents of and visitors to the surrounding area. If more information is needed in order for the chief to make a determination on the application the chief may request further information from the applicant by means of a supplemental application. (d) The applicant shall submit the completed form to the chief not later than five days prior to the proposed activit thereafter, the chief shall notify the applicant of the decision to grant or deny the permit within three days of the submission of the completed application and any required supplemental application. (e) The permit shall state the date, place, time, duration, and nature of the proposed activity, shall be in the possession of Z. the person in charge of the activity, and shall be produced for inspection upon the request of any law enforcement officer. (f) The chief may issue a permit subiect to conditions which shall be stated upon the permit including limitations upon the sound level, duration, or time of day of the activity, or the requirement that breaks be taken in the activity. (g) The chief may adopt rules not inconsistent herewith for the implementation of the permit system established in this section Such rules may include provisions for the granting of a permit when an application is received less than five days prior to the proposed activity. Section 14- Exemptions. The following shall be exempt from the prohibitions set forth in subsection (a) of this article: (1) Activities of the County of Hawaii, State of Hawaii or the United States; and (2) Activities of private persons or entities acting within the permitted uses of a permit issued by the County of Hawaii State of Hawaii, or the United States. . (3) Amplifying devices within sight-seeing cars buses motor coaches or other similar vehicles, designed primarily to address passengers within the vehicles. (4) Amplifying devices on or within ambulances or authorized emergency vehicles. -7- Section 14— Penalty. (a) Any person convicted of a violation of the Provisions of this article shall be punished by a fine of: (1) up to $100 for the first offense; or (2) up to $500 for the second offense, if such offense is committed within six months of the first offense; or (3) up to $1,000, or forfeiture of the sound system or components of the sound system up to $1,000 in value, or a combination of a fine and forfeiture, up to a total of $1,000, for conviction of the third or more offense, if such offense is committed within one Year of the first offense; (b) Any offense occurring after the first year of the first offense and each successive Year thereafter, shall be subject to the provisions of subsection (a) as though it were the first instance of the offense." SECTION 3. New material is underscored. In printing this ordinance, the underscoring need not be included. SECTION 4. If any provision of this ordinance or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of the ordinance which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end, the provisions of this ordinance are declared to be severable. ZE SECTION 5. This ordinance shall take effect upon its approval. INTRODUCED BY: AA COUNCIL M5MBER, Hilo, Hawaii Date of Introduction: May 2, 1990, Date of 1st Reading: May 2, 1990 Date of 2nd Reading: May 16, 1990 Effective Date: May 27, 1990 OF 27WII h/ MEMBER, COU TY OF HAWAII Introduced By: Date Introduced: First Reading: Published: REMARKS: Second Reading: To Mayor: Returned: Effective: Published: REMARKS: OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK County of Hawaii H,10 i10 , Hawaii Helene H. Hale & 14erle K. Lai DIay 2, 1990 May 16, 1990 Mav 17, 1990 Mav 29, 1990 June 3, 1990 1 YAMASHIRO (DRAFT 3) ROLL CALL VOTE AYES I NOES I ABS I EX DOMINGO X HALE INOUYE KOKUBUN LAI X MAKUAKANE X RUDDLE X Y. I DO HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing BILL was adopted by the County Council and published as indicated above. -- APPROVED as to FORM and LEGALITY A-�1 RPORATiON' OUrtSEI COUNTY OF HAWAII Date MAY 2 3 1990 rovedl isapproved this Z 7 day of %N ml , 19 �— la,M/L' WIA MAYOR, COUNTY OF HAWAII G r COUNCIL CHAIRMA Bill No.: Reference: Ord. No.: 254 (Draft 3) FC -215 65 (DRAFT 3) ROLL CALL VOTE AYES NOES ABS EX DOMINGO X HALE X INOUYE X KOKUBUN X LAI X MAKUAKANE X RUDDLE X SCHUTTE X June 3, 1990 1 YAMASHIRO (DRAFT 3) ROLL CALL VOTE AYES I NOES I ABS I EX DOMINGO X HALE INOUYE KOKUBUN LAI X MAKUAKANE X RUDDLE X Y. I DO HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing BILL was adopted by the County Council and published as indicated above. -- APPROVED as to FORM and LEGALITY A-�1 RPORATiON' OUrtSEI COUNTY OF HAWAII Date MAY 2 3 1990 rovedl isapproved this Z 7 day of %N ml , 19 �— la,M/L' WIA MAYOR, COUNTY OF HAWAII G r COUNCIL CHAIRMA Bill No.: Reference: Ord. No.: 254 (Draft 3) FC -215 65