BROCKTON, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — A new noise ordinance in Brockton has made it to the mayor's desk after being passed by the City Council.
The measure is intended to reduce the loud late-night parties and excessive fire workers that some councilors say plagued the city, last summer.
However, not everyone on the council is a fan of the ordinance.
Brockton Ward 5 City Councilor Jeffrey Thompson says he isn't trying to put a damper on people holding parties. He says he just wants the people hosting parties to respect their neighbors and turn down the music late at night.
His noise ordinance bans unreasonable and excessive noise over 60 decibels, which would be measured by police using a sound meter from 50 feet away from the property.
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A couple city councilors say they fear the ordinance would unfairly target people of color because it would fail to recognize their diverse culture and community. Thompson says he disagrees with that.
"The reason I wrote this to be an objective standard was so there couldn't be any specific targeting," Thompson said.
Other cities and towns in the area have a subjective standard, said Thompson.
Under the other ordinances, a police officer comes to the scene and decides whether the noise is excessive. Thompson says these towns and cities are leaving it up to the opinion of a police officer and that's why he believes the sound meter would make this a fair ordinance.
The ordinance is now on the mayor's desk.
WBZ NewsRadio's Kim Tunnicliffe (@KimWBZ) reports
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