Avalon's Noise Law

It's shut up or pay up under Avalon noise law
By BRIAN IANIERI Staff Writer, (609) 463-6713
Press of Atlantic City
Published: Saturday, April 29, 2006
Updated: Saturday, April 29, 2006

AVALON — Between 2 to 5 a.m., shhhh. Really.

Avalon Borough Council this week passed a law that doubles fines for noise violations in the wee hours of the morning.

Borough officials said the law is aimed at crowds of people who leave the bars on summer weekends but are loud and unruly.

“We do get an awful lot of complaints from people who say ‘They woke me up,'” said Councilman David Ellenberg. “The complaints are really coming in between 2 o'clock and 3 o'clock in the morning. “We'd like it to be a deterrent.”

The borough's new law recommends fines of at least $500 and 15 hours of public service for a first offense.

Council President Richard Dean said the late-night noise issues only really come into play on summer weekends, after people have left the bars and restaurants but remain noisy throughout the night.

“People should have some time when they should get a little sleep. It's just an arbitrary figure as far as time goes,” he said.

The borough already has a noise law but hopes increased penalties at certain hours will cause people to hush up.

The broadening of the noise law marks the second time this year the borough passed a law aimed at raucous partying.

Last month, the governing body passed a law that created a permitting process for special events that took place on borough property or required services of police or public works employees.

Specifically, the law was aimed at annual “Floatilla” parties, conglomerations of inner tubes, beer and bathing suits on Avalon's bayside.

Last year, a person jumped from the 21st Street bridge and was considered missing as rescuers and divers searched the waters.

He was alive and located later in the evening, but Avalon police saw the incident as an indication the event needed to be curbed.

The law could end the event, which last year was in its fifth year in Avalon.

Ellenberg acknowledged that balance is required in passing laws in resort towns that strive to make sure visitors have a good time so they keep coming back.

But the 2 a.m. to 5 a.m. rule seemed a safe bet, he said.

“You keep getting complaints from the residents trying to sleep,” he said. “Folks have to take responsibility for their own actions.”

To e-mail Brian Ianieri at The Press:BIanieri@pressofac.com

Stone Harbor Emergencies

Emergencies Will Bring New Ring In Stone Harbor
3/29/2006
Cape May County Herald

STONE HARBOR - When storms barrel up the coast, flood sirens will still wail, but many phones will also ring in a matter of minutes.

Thanks to computer automation, for six cents a call, all 3,000-borough residents can be alerted within eight minutes, under a contract approved March 21 by borough council.

The voluntary "opt in" program with Global Connect of Mays Landing will be open to all property owners. It will enable those who provide a phone number, which will not be used for any other purpose, to be alerted when Emergency Management Director Roger Stanford declares an emergency.

Residents will get further information on the program in an upcoming newsletter, said Administrator Kenneth Hawk.

"It utilizes Internet technology. That's how they can do it so cheaply," he explained.

"Your privacy is secure," he added. "It will not be used to send political messages.

"It's a neat program that will really help a lot of people in low-lying areas," Hawk noted. "It's persistent. If you don't answer, it will leave a message on an answering machine."

The resolution states that the cost "is minimal, amount to less than $200 for a notification which would telephone every property in the borough."

The contract was awarded without public bid, because, "in aggregate, the total cost of the contract is expected to be less than $1,000," the resolution states.

Contact Campbell at (609) 886-8600 Ext 28 or: al.c@cmcherald.com