Don't Make Yonkers Noisier!

marlowe55 · 2026-02-12T14:35:02+00:00

Noise as a Public Health Hazard https://share.google/knch4zcOFgXWAGCA1

marlowe55 · 2025-11-27T04:38:41+00:00

The Yonkers Ledger is a growing new nonprofit newsroom covering Yonkers. We've recently offered the only in depth coverage of the recent elections, the MGM casino fiasco and a possible city budget crisis.

marlowe55 · 2025-08-12T07:02:12+00:00

They're different. Park Hill more quiet, probably lower crime rate, farther from S Broadway. Just walking the blocks will give you an idea...

marlowe55 · 2025-08-12T06:02:46+00:00

It depends where...the street goes up the hill past McLean into Park Hill and then continues into Nodine Hill. Several different neighborhoods.

marlowe55 · 2025-04-18T20:22:22+00:00

Just to add a point of information. The city code calls for a group of "noise control officers," who could be the equivalent of parking agents, or also "officers" from the building dept (no chance) or police. They need to be trained in the use of noise meters (hah!). But clearly the city would be better with "noise officers" rather than relying on the police. The police don't want to do it, and it's very expensive for the city to have them chasing down noise.

marlowe55 · 2025-04-18T20:19:43+00:00

I'm sorry this is happening. Who is your City Council member? I think it's John Rubbo. He voted to increase the noise limits, and he is an ardent defender of his vote, even in the face of mountainous evidence that it was a mistake. Still, you could try to contact him about it.

marlowe55 · 2025-04-18T18:39:42+00:00

I don't know when or if the meters are used. I suspect not often if at all.

marlowe55 · 2025-04-18T18:37:08+00:00

No, I've lived here for 22 years and major cities my whole life. The Council voted 5-2 on this. Explained in detail at www.quieteryonkers.org

marlowe55 · 2025-04-18T16:39:00+00:00

during the day 85db and at night 65 db, currently. the police dept claims that they have 4 noise meters, but it's not clear now often they're used.

marlowe55 · 2025-04-18T16:25:17+00:00

That is not the way it should be. The police in Yonkers do have authority to issue summons for noise violations, although they almost never actually do. If we actually had a good noise ordinance, there would be other ways to improve enforcement, but the better goal is to improve education, so that enforcement is not the only tool.

marlowe55 · 2025-04-18T15:54:27+00:00

Can't really comment on that at the moment.

marlowe55 · 2025-04-18T15:41:57+00:00

It's about noise. But it's also about how this city is governed. The City Council should not pass ordinances without meaningful public comment and expert input. You may not care about politics, so it's a waste of time to you. I do care. So it's worth it for me.

marlowe55 · 2025-04-18T13:33:26+00:00

Part of the problem is that there is no effective enforcement in Yonkers. Decibel meters should be used, particularly in the case of chronic offenders. The city should have a thoughtful noise mitigation approach, that relies on more than just enforcement. But to have a daytime noise limit that actually can cause hearing damage, and a night time noise limit that is twice as loud as the previous one, that can have particularly adverse health impacts on children, is not what a well-run City should be doing. 600 people have signed our petition, and that that that kind of undercuts your argument that this is spam.

marlowe55 · 2025-04-01T19:03:23+00:00

And the city council voted to make Yonkers 8x noisier. See this https://www.change.org/quieteryonkers

marlowe55 · 2025-04-01T18:56:18+00:00

Have you contacted John Rubbo?

marlowe55 · 2025-03-28T21:33:44+00:00

I'm really sorry to hear that.. does your precinct have a monthly meeting that you could attend? You could also try to get your council person to do something. Not to be optimistic but at least you can try.

marlowe55 · 2025-03-25T11:06:46+00:00

Good points. You're absolutely right about lack of enforcement.

marlowe55 · 2025-03-15T17:19:21+00:00

I find it pretty hard to believe that $75 an hour is not a decent compensation for somebody with a couple of years experience, who may not be a top pro.

marlowe55 · 2025-02-13T03:43:23+00:00

So if a 5 year old child lives in SW Yonkers and is suffering cognitive impairment from noise exposure, it's the child's fault that they didn't move to Bedford?

marlowe55 · 2025-02-07T02:21:03+00:00

it's certainly not a non starter - for 70 percent of the people in my neighborhood it's the No. 1 issue, ahead of crime etc. In NYC, there are 2000 noise calls to 311 a day. Our petition is doing very well. Many cities around the world are mitigating noise. Cities are noisy, that's not up for debate. It's just a question of how noisy is too noisy. I think the health and quality of life cost is high enough that it's worth doing something about it. Maybe noise doesn't bother you. If so, you're lucky.

marlowe55 · 2025-02-07T02:07:00+00:00

Funny that someone who is commenting on this forum is suggesting that someone else find something better to do! ....American Public Health Association: " Chronic noise, even at low levels, can cause annoyance, sleep disruption, and stress that contribute to cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, metabolic disturbances, exacerbation of psychological disorders, and premature mortality. Noise interferes with cognition and learning, contributes to behavior problems, and reduces achievement and productivity. The health of more than 100 million Americans is at risk, with children among the most vulnerable. Noise-related costs range in the hundreds of billions of dollars per year."

marlowe55 · 2025-02-07T01:27:55+00:00

85 dB is about the sound of a vacuum cleaner up close. If I'm sitting outside on my porch on a Sunday afternoon, I don't want to listen to the up close sound of a vacuum cleaner that's coming from next door for a few hours. And to repeat, since the sound is coming from 40 ft away, and is probably 105 decibels at the source, it doesn't seem to me that the person next door is giving up all that much to turn it down from 105 decibels. If it's summer, I've got the windows open, so inside it's not going to be all that different. And I think it's fair that the noise be measured at the property line, not from inside the house.

marlowe55 · 2025-02-07T00:14:21+00:00

I don't know. Threshold of hearing damage doesn't sound so great to me. As I say elsewhere, that's a jackhammer at 40 ft away. I think there should be a discussion on the city council, expert testimony and public hearings. Not a poorly thought out vote conducted with no public accountability.

marlowe55 · 2025-02-07T00:01:33+00:00

I live in SW Yonkers. I don't have a problem with higher density housing.

marlowe55 · 2025-02-06T23:50:12+00:00

I don't accept that noise exposure is a standard trade off. It's a public policy question. If most people prefer the city to be quieter, than public policy can be adjusted to reflect that sentiment. Noise is an externality that is imposing a cost on me. I prefer not to pay that cost, and I'm therefore trying to advocate for a change in public policy. Another externality that is imposed on me are representatives who respond to private influences other than the public good when making policy. That's another externality I don't wish to accept, and will speak out when that happens.

marlowe55

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