Verona Residents Have Noise Dispute: Police

Verona, NJ – A neighborly dispute over noise complaints may be driving a wedge between some Verona residents.

According to the Verona Police Department, officers responded to two disputes between residents of Linn Drive last week.

• On Dec. 28, an officer responded to a report of a dispute around 8:39 p.m. According to police, the dispute was about “noise which each person reports that the [other] is making.” Officers advised all parties about complaint procedures.
• On Dec. 31 around 3:15 p.m., an officer responded to another neighborly dispute on the same street, again over “noise which each person reports that the other is making.”

TOWN CODE

According to Verona township code, it is “unlawful for any person to make, continue or cause to be made or continued any loud, unnecessary or unusual noise or any noise which either annoys, disturbs, injures or endangers the comfort, repose, health, peace or safety of others within the limits of the borough.”

This includes horns, radios, loudspeakers, “yelling and shouting,” animal noises and during certain times, leafblowers.

Violations can be punished by a fine not exceeding $500 or imprisonment in the county jail for a period not exceeding 90 days, or both.

See the full township noise ordinance here.

DEALING WITH NEIGHBORLY NOISE

One of the best tactics for dealing with a noisy neighbor may be to simply have a conversation, according to some sources.

“A lot of problems, including your noisy neighbor, can be solved with some good old-fashioned communication,” according to HowStuffWorks.com.

“This doesn’t have to be a confrontational conversation,” the publication suggests. “If your neighbor plays his music too loud or too late at night, tell him that it’s not the music that you don’t like, but how late he’s playing it. Unless you really don’t like his music; then you may want to keep that to yourself.

“The point is that you don’t have to be fuming mad and yelling to get your point across,” HowStuffWorks suggests. “Just state what the problem is and try to offer a solution that both of you can agree on. If you’d rather not meet the stranger in your building that’s annoying you so much, then try leaving a note for them that clearly explains the noise he’s making and why you think it’s an unacceptable amount.”