No more noise over noise ordinance, says council

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No more noise over noise ordinance, says council

By Mike Irwin
World staff writer

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

010312 World photo/Mike Bonnicksen

East Wenatchee Mayor Steve Lacy

121112 World photo/Mike Bonnicksen

Timothy Finnigan, spokesman for residents of Crest Court Mobile Home Park

Councilman Tim Detering

EAST WENATCHEE — As far as the City Council is concerned, groups bickering over noise from an all-night fundraising event need to settle the dispute themselves and leave city government out of it.

The council decided Tuesday to distance itself from a three-month-long squabble between Relay for Life, an annual fundraiser for cancer research, and neighbors complaining about the event’s nighttime noise by setting aside indefinitely any revisions to the city’s 15-year-old noise ordinance.

“It seems to me that this whole thing got out of hand,” said Mayor Steve Lacy. “I wouldn’t be unhappy if we didn’t do anything to change our noise ordinance. I never felt that we were being asked — or should be asked — to resolve that dispute.”

Councilman Tim Detering agreed. He moved to table suggested tweaks to the city’s noise ordinance that followed lengthy — and sometimes heated — public discussion of the Relay issue over the last two months. The council voted unanimously to do so.

“I don’t want to support any changes to this (noise) ordinance that appear to be driven by a single event,” said Detering. “Maybe changes should be made, but not now in this manner.”

Residents of a mobile home park next to Eastmont High School, where the Relay takes place, petitioned the city in October to enforce the existing noise ordinance and essentially muffle the Relay for Life event between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. The 25-space Crest Court Mobile Home Park on Georgia Avenue is home to residents age 55 and over, many of whom are now retired or disabled and discomfited by noise from the all-night event, petitioners have said.

Organizers of Relay for Life pushed back. The national fundraising effort with a local chapter and hundreds of supporters viewed the petition as a threat to curtail, relocate or even terminate the annual event, which has raised locally more than $1.4 million for cancer research in the last 12 years. The event has been held at Eastmont High School’s football field and track for more than 20 years.

Relay leaders said they’ve taken steps in recent years to curb nighttime noise by relocating public address system speakers, turning down the volume and asking participants to lower their voices as activities stretch into the wee hours. Organizers said the event goes all night as a symbol of the fight against cancer. “Cancer never sleeps” is a Relay slogan.

The mobile home park’s petition eventually led to discussions on whether the city’s noise ordinance adequately addressed a wide enough variety of potentially noisy events and situations, such as big community festivals and nighttime construction projects. Revised wording to some ordinance clauses was drafted, but those revisions were tabled by Tuesday’s council vote.

“Years ago, when this ordinance was passed, it didn’t generate much fuss,” said Mayor Lacy. “And it shouldn’t now. To me, it seems time-tested.”

The council action to table ordinance revisions didn’t displease either side of the noise debate.

“I think we’re back to square one,” said Timothy Finnigan, a resident of Crest Court and spokesman for mobile home park residents. “The bottom line here is that we’ll finally need to sit down and communicate with each other, work this thing out. The first thing we bring to the table, I think, is respect for each other and our individual opinions.”

Finnigan said his group offered in September to have a face-to-face discussion with Relay leaders, but that didn’t happen. “The ball’s in their court now,” he said. “I’m hoping we can get together and talk.”

Relay co-chair Michelle Auvil said it was never the organization’s intent to create problems with its neighbors. “Eastmont is simply the best place in our area to hold this event. Lights, bathrooms, parking, accessibility for the elderly and disabled — it’s all there. I think we’re willing to sit down and talk. I’m just hoping something good can come out that discussion.”

This year, remodeling at the high school means the Relay will move to Eastmont Junior High. The event will run from 6 p.m. to 10 a.m. June 14-15.

Mike Irwin: 665-1179

irwin@wenatcheeworld.com

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northrup 4 months, 1 week ago

In regard to the Relay of Life's noise: The groups do need to solve their own problems; however, the Relay group does need to abate some of their noise. Cheering individuals on for this good cause fund raiser is one issue - loud excessive screaming and cheering and music that would not otherwise be allowed under Ordinance needs to be addressed by the Relay Group. When they cause the excessive noise - it is their responsibility to reduce it. Because they like to make it and 'it is for a good cause' is no answer. Cancer is terrible and not the only terrible disease. So are other illnesses with sleeplessness and needs for quiet. Let us have a heart for each others issues. The CIty of East Wenatchee is doing a bit of buck passing - but who can blame them not wanting to be the baddy to either group!

carol 4 months, 1 week ago

Back East a man held a rodeo next to our house. He offered all the neightbors motel rooms for the night. Not saying that would work here but if they raise $1.4 million it might be an option. Just saying.

Lisa 4 months, 1 week ago

Shut your windows and sleep with a fan on...This is a one time a year event..Is this just something to gripe about? I havent heard of any complaining when the Wings and Wheels Carnival is in town for an entire weekend (which is held in the same vicinity...) However, the event coordinators need to be responsible for enforcing the noise ordinance. This is a wonderful event and an excellent location.

davebugg 4 months, 1 week ago

Bad example as it doesn't run through the night; it shuts down by 11:00 pm. If the event wants to continue on through the night, it really needs to go into "whisper mode" during average and normal sleeping hours.

Meowzzz 4 months, 1 week ago

I agree Lisa! Put some earplugs in for that night. It is ONE night out of the entire year. Seriously, it's sad that there are complaints over this fundraiser. It is one night out of the year.

gayles 4 months, 1 week ago

Ideally it would be awesome if both groups would come together and work it out. #Some# of the Relay For Life people need to get the earplugs out of their ears to hear the petitioners. The petitioners will need to start videotaping and recording.

Here is a Relay For Life "LOGISTICS JOB DESCRIPTION" http://relay.acsevents.org/site/DocServer/Logistics_Handbook.pdf

I thought it was interesting that according to the doc that it is “mandatory” to have a 24-hour overnight event.

The doc states: "Try to choose a site that doesn’t have a lot of homes nearby – you’re less likely to get noise complaints."

Also the doc states: “Most Relays take place at a track and field complex usually at a high school or university in the community. If there is no track in your community or your venue falls through at the last minute, there are other options. Consider holding your Relay at a #baseball complex, fairgrounds, horse track, soccer field or City Park#.”

And

“A high school may be your best option since there is often less ‘#red tape#’ at this level.”

Here's a Relay For Life training website with videos etc. http://training.relayforlife.org/#

gayles 4 months, 1 week ago

If one looks up the location of the RFL site on Google Earth, what they would find is that the homes are extremely close to the track. Like the doc states "Try to choose a site that doesn’t have a lot of homes nearby – you’re less likely to get noise complaints."

gayles 4 months, 1 week ago

I reread the document and noticed that the Relay For Life guideline encourages the local (nationwide) relay organizers to work #with# the neighbors. From what I have read in the Wenatchee World articles, letters to the editor and the comments from people associated with the Chelan RFL directed toward and/or about the petitioners and me, they aren’t willing to negotiate with the neighbors.

I also noticed that the guideline strongly suggests security and law enforcement presence due to the amount of money at the location. This got me thinking – if I was a neighbor would I want potential criminal elements coming around my neighborhood for the money or “stranger danger?” With the public information about the amount of money generating at the event imo is like putting up a neon sign.

I would really like to see both sides come to an agreement that benefits both groups. But I think from what I have seen via WW, if the RFL wants people to donate money to their cause they need to apply more customer service toward the neighbors, people who disagree with them and the public, especially in public forums such as Facebook and WW.

Don 4 months, 1 week ago

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Don 4 months, 1 week ago

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WBodnar 4 months, 1 week ago

We would be open to sit and talk but I have never been asked to meet. I have staffed the local Relay For Life for over 6 years and have received NOT one phone call from Mr. Finnigan. I attended several of the meetings between the school board as well as city council and NEVER was asked to meet. Too many false statements are being said. Hostile phone calls have been left on my supervisors phone and I have returned those calls 4 times and never received a phone call back. We have many training documents on our Relay For Life site. So I am glad that gayles is reading up. You can rest assured we have security and we value the community in which we have events. Safety is a priority!

lonedog3 4 months, 1 week ago

The rely for life has been going on for so many years without a problem then all of the sudden all of these issues. Is it because someone new moved in and instigated the issues? This mess seems so totally strange for someone to just start attacking a group that does so much good in the community.

gayles 4 months, 1 week ago

Thank you WBodnar. I'm only going with what's in the WW online articles and comments as well as other places such as Facebook. To avoid the appearance of wrongdoing, why not move it elsewhere? Maybe the school is the only place that allows a 24 hour activity? As for security is there security provided for the neighbors and the people who come and go from the event to ensure their safety etc? -Also, have you tried contacting the petitioners?

lonedog3 --on WW's Facebook this was posted in relation to this particular article. Apparently the neighbors have been complaining for awhile. http://www.facebook.com/WenatcheeWorld (have to scroll down to January 9 section)

"Amanda Gaus: This is STILL an issue? It has been almost ten years since I was on the committee for the Relay. Even back then we were getting these complaints. They (the neighbors) called the police every year, and the year the police officers formed a team, we always joked these people who wanted to complain could just walk on over since that's where the officers were!"

The complaints have been going on for at least 10 years (according to a supporter of RFL).
Imo the RFL personnel were making fun of the neighbors by "joking" about them. Imo that is so disrespectful.

gayles 4 months ago

I overlooked Amand Gaus' mention of the law enforcement relay team from the WW Facebook which brings several questions to mind. Did the officers participant in an activity that broke the law? Did their presence interfere with the noise code enforcement? Was the forming of the team a legitimate effort or a seal of approval? These questions imo are for the citizens of East Wenatchee and the petitions to consider.