Noise from town cleaners

[techie]

I live in a high rise apartment in Western Sydney right in the town centre. Great place but night time - the beast rises between 2AM - 3AM.

What I'm talking about is the cleaning done to the pavements and roads. I don't mind the road cleaning truck driving by as its a low constant buzz and I don't notice it.

What wakes me are the pavement cleaners using leaf blowers to do the job. They are loud (even 8 floors up) and its a stop / start noise which you can't sleep through. Windows are all shut but leaf blowers in the dead of the night are super loud.

I called up the cops and they said speak to the council. My success with the council was low. Got an email that was hand balled by some other council guy and nothing came of it. Had this happen a few years ago too and a PO tenant got a petition signed and it made the local news.

What can be done here?

 

[Jake D]

Double glazed windows? Thicker curtains?

 

[Redwood]

I live in a high rise apartment in Western Sydney right in the town centre. Great place but night time - the beast rises between 2AM - 3AM.

What I'm talking about is the cleaning done to the pavements and roads. I don't mind the road cleaning truck driving by as its a low constant buzz and I don't notice it.

What wakes me are the pavement cleaners using leaf blowers to do the job. They are loud (even 8 floors up) and its a stop / start noise which you can't sleep through. Windows are all shut but leaf blowers in the dead of the night are super loud.

I called up the cops and they said speak to the council. My success with the council was low. Got an email that was hand balled by some other council guy and nothing came of it. Had this happen a few years ago too and a PO tenant got a petition signed and it made the local news.

What can be done here?

Hi there, sorry to hear that, why would you bother the police with this?

Go to the council and approach your neighbours if they share the same concern as you, and numerous voices/ concerns are better than one voice.

Cheers, Ivan

 

[techie]

Ok so a little more info that's been done in the past. We had a petition signed up a few years ago and the noise stopped. There was an article in the local newspaper about it too!

I called up the cops this time because legally noise that disturbs residents should stop by 10pm. I'm waiting for a call back from the supervisor in the council about it which is similar to the what I went through a few years ago. I'd be thoroughly surprised if I get a call back. I also called up the NSW Pollution hotline on 131555 (for noise pollution) but they don't deal with residential issues.

I really don't want to have to go through the trouble of signing people up to miraculously heal the deaf ears of the council. Last time, an angry tenant spear headed it. Might be me this time

 

[techie]

Double glazed windows? Thicker curtains?

I think I need triple glazed windows for the leaf blower

 

[Paul@PFI]

Contact your council. NSW law prohibits such devices between certain hours. (Before 7 6 days a week and b4 8 Sundays)
Its going to be a tough but have a talk to local police. They can order noise orders and impose penalties as well as council. The cops often tell you to ring council (lazy) but tell them to do their job and it gets action. You need to ask for a noise compliance officer to attend - Not all cops are trained but every station has several. They often (incorrectly) see noise as a council issue but reality is penalties can be enforced by cops. Insist and get a name. Escalate a complaint with station manager or local superintendent if they don't assist.

I know as I had a neighbour that breached laws for a while and I had to encourage council officer to wake early. Cops kept doing nothing as they claimed to be busy (fair enough) I showed him video and he then agreed. I don't blame his reluctance. First day he picked Woolworths were using a jackhammer outside store at 5:30am for works that had a DA that were for hours of 8am - 5pm. ...BUSTED ...fined and he imposed a court attendance notice on the manager who arranged the contractor.

Petition ? Why not write a nice letter or a musical ?? - Futile.

http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/askenvironmentlineapp/question.aspx?qaId=ael-197

Just remember the key issue is an offence occurs if the noise continues after a warning has been given by a council or police officer...So a warning must be given once. If its from council ask for confirmation then give that to cops. They can issue a notice if they have that proof.

Commercial operators must also not create offensive noise at any time. I would see a blower as offensive noise and capable of being ordered to cease. Use video as evidence too.

 

[Mooze]

If you feel council are not correctly addressing your complaint you can raise it with either the EPA or with Department of Local Government in NSW. Either way ensure you have copies of all complaints in writing, or if you have called keep a diary.
There are limits to how long councils are allowed to deal with ongoing issues without fully addressing them. Sometimes they need reminding of this.

 

[Ed Barton]

Get very drunk - you won't notice the noise!

Contact your local councillor rather than council. Offer alternatives. eg there's not many people around at 10.30am or 2.46pm, can the cleaning be done then?

 

[bumskins]

I think you'll find there are exceptions to the time restrictions.

 

[techie]

Hi all, thanks for the replies. Thought I'd update this.

After my call to the council last week, I never did get a call back from the supervisor whom the reception was supposed to inform. However, the cleaning times did change from 3AM to around 11.30PM which was much better, so the message did seem to go across.

However last night, it was back to 3AM. I have now emailed them as a complaint in writing.

 

[techie]

My formal complaint has been received and I got a call from the council today.

He said that they clean all the CBDs of the council suburbs from 10pm onwards and start times are rotated between suburbs. Apparently they have spoken with the EPA too about it too.

I told they guy that its the leaf blowers that are noisy and something should be done about that. He said he'll check their schedule because they haven't had complaints for 5 years.

That was unfruitful, so now I've asked the head of the building committee to look into it. They will call the council as a stronger voice.

 

[Simon]

Did you tell him that you were aware of previous complaints and petitions within the five years? Either no records kept, he didn't look or he was bull****ting

 

[techie]

Did you tell him that you were aware of previous complaints and petitions within the five years? Either no records kept, he didn't look or he was bull****ting

Yeah I told him about it and he diverted to saying he'll check if the schedule has been changed... not sure what good that would do. Judging by the way he was speaking, it was more of a courtesy call to say "Yes we received your email but we can't do squat. Call us if you have any more questions"