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Cashiers resident asks county leaders for stricter noise ordinance
By Derek Hodges
County officials Monday (Oct. 3) heard from a Cashiers resident who is calling for a change in the way noise is regulated in the county.
Marti Senterfit, who lives off U.S. 64, told commissioners 12 hours of development noise each day is “really creating a difficulty” for area residents.
“You wake up to that ‘beep beep beep’ from the trucks and then there’s all the construction noise from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day of the week,” Senterfit said.
Under current county rules, construction noise is allowed from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week.
Senterfit’s complaints stem from development at Mountaintop, a new residential subdivision near Senterfit’s home.
Changing the ordinance could lead to a tricky situation for county leaders. Opponents of a proposed shooting range ordinance recently complained that such regulation would limit their ability to enjoy their own property.
Current noise rules do not differentiate between large-scale development and private homeowners completing minor work, Senterfit said. Therefore, any change could affect individuals as well as developers, she said. To avoid complaints that the county is trying to control citizens on their own land, Senterfit suggested the ordinance specify whom the rules apply to.
Senterfit presented commissioners with a petition signed by more than 150 Cashiers-area residents calling for a change in the ordinance. Along with the list she suggested the rules be changed to “limit major building or construction noise Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.” on non-holidays. She also suggested stiffer penalties for violators – current regulations allow only a maximum $50 fine, she said.
Senterfit is asking for the changes in the county’s rules because the problem isn’t just isolated to this one development, she said.
“There are developments going up on Yellow Mountain and in Norton,” she said. “People all over the county are dealing with this.”
Senterfit presented her requests, petition and other information to county officials and asked that the planning department look into the matter. No action was taken on the issue by commissioners.
In other business Oct. 3:
Quarterly reports
Officials heard reports from two agencies supported by the county, Smoky Mountain Center and the Scattered Site Housing Program. Both gave required quarterly reports.
Smoky Mountain Center officials told commissioners their work is going well. They are treating a large number of methamphetamine addicts, and helping children in crisis situations. They are, however, facing a budget shortfall at the state level that could force a change in the way their services are administered.
Scattered Site Housing Director Joan Stillwell told commissioners the program is in the process of closing out for this year. She thanked county leaders and residents for the concerted effort that produced a productive year for the program. Additionally, Stillwell thanked The Sylva Herald for its coverage of the program.
Bid approvals
Commissioners approved three bids, two for work at Smoky Mountain High School and one for work associated with the county’s emergency watershed cleaning.
Dillard Excavating of Sylva was awarded a contract for site clearing work on the Jones property adjoining SMHS at a cost of $18,000. The work will include hydroseeding, erosion control and graveling. It should be completed “in about a week,” county Manager Ken Westmoreland said.
“We think this is an excellent bid,” Westmoreland said.
Wike Excavation was selected to complete demolition and removal work on the Alexander and Jones properties at the school. Their bid price was $16,7000. That work will include tearing down one home and removing related materials from that demolition and three other homes that were burned in a fire department training exercise.
The county’s work to remove woody debris from area waterways is progressing, and has left stumps and tree parts at county waste facilities, Westmoreland said. Commissioners voted to award DeSoto Trail Construction of Franklin a contract to grind the stumps and remove them at a cost of $22 per ton.
Trash truck
Commissioners last month voted to purchase a wheel-loader to be used at the county’s waste management facilities. This month they approved a resolution allowing for the financing of the three-year lease/purchase. A specific vote that authorizes the expenditure is required, Westmoreland said.
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