Fairfield RTM Votes To Punt On Proposed Changes To Noise Ordinance

FAIRFIELD, CT — The Representative Town Meeting indicated Monday that they heard many of the critics of proposed changes to Fairfield's noise ordinance, but after a year of research and discussion, the members narrowly voted to postpone action on the proposal for another month.

Members voted along party lines, 18-17, during Monday night's meeting, with Democrats backing District 7's Jill Vergara, who sought the delay of the proposal until a meeting in August.

Vergara, the driving force behind the proposal, said that the delay was needed because she believes the public needed more education on the issue.

RTM members have received a host of emails from residents opposing the changes, which call for police to have more enforcement ability as it pertains to noise. Among the emails were several that also supported the proposal.

Yet, as some members said, the police department does not want to have to enforce more ordinances.

"We're going down the wrong road here," said Republican RTM member Jim Meyers, who wanted to vote on the measure on Monday.

Bill Gerber, a Democrat from District 2, acknowledged that the police department does not appear to want more enforcement ability as it pertains to noise, but he supported the motion to delay, to give the RTM more time to discuss with the department about what might work.

Click here to read the proposed changes (beginning on page 113 of the RTM backup materials).