Resolution 5579 - Noise Reduction

PRESS RELEASE

Clearcreek Township, Warren County, Ohio – May 5, 2025 –

At their April 28th meeting, the Clearcreek Township Board of Trustees passed Resolution 5579, a resolution that prohibits unreasonable noise on properties in the unincorporated areas of the township with differing daytime and nighttime thresholds for maximum allowable decibels (dB).

In an effort to better protect the public peace and welfare in the township, the Board exercised the regulatory authority granted to them by Ohio statute and developed the noise resolution by meticulously crafting the document from dozens of similar pieces of legislation from across Ohio, and deliberated the subject over a period of six months to ensure input and thoughtful consideration. The Board hosted two public input sessions – on January 13th and April 14th – and took additional testimony at their April 28th meeting where they ratified the legislation.

The resolution reads that “no person shall make, generate, permit to allow a loud or raucous noise in the unincorporated territory of the township in such a manner as to disturb the peace and quiet of surrounding properties, or otherwise be detrimental to any individual’s life and health.”

The daytime threshold of 85 decibels at a property line is enforceable between the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. The nighttime threshold of 50 decibels is in effect from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. There are multiple exceptions to the limitations including for emergency vehicles, power tools, lawn equipment, and manufacturing activities during the daytime, agricultural activities, and fireworks to conclude at 11:00 p.m. to name several. The motor vehicle stereo limits are from a distance of 100’ and relies on the ‘person of ordinary sensibilities’ standard to determine if the noise is ‘loud or raucous.’

The noise resolution has a two-track enforcement mechanism – one criminal, one civil – that may be applied in certain circumstances. A criminal penalty is considered a second-degree misdemeanor with associated fines that gradually increase to as much as $750 per occurrence when cited four or more times ($100 fine first offense). Civil penalties range from $100 for a first offense to as much as $1,000 for the fourth or greater citation in a calendar year.