Comments on: Editorial: Construction noise and quality of life http://www.inberkeley.com/2009/10/02/editorial-construction-noise-and-quality-of-life/ Notes on living in Berkeley, CA. Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:29:59 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: mary hodder http://www.inberkeley.com/2009/10/02/editorial-construction-noise-and-quality-of-life/comment-page-1/#comment-3477 mary hodder Mon, 05 Oct 2009 05:24:28 +0000 http://www.inberkeley.com/2009/10/02/editorial-construction-noise-and-quality-of-life/#comment-3477 You've heard the joke about Berkeley: Why do we have so many contractors and therapists? Because everyone thinks they can fix everything. As Thomas notes above, there are rules about hours etc. Can the building inspector. He'll be very happy to write a ticket because the city is low on funds. On my street, UC berkeley, and the local high-rise apartment landlord have been in constant construction for 12 years straight. First one, then the other. Then back again. But they also use professional construction companies that work from 8-4 monday through friday. The street is one way, has two rows of parking, and two lanes for driving. At least one lane of parking and one lane for driving has been closed the entire time, for staging. It's just free space right? The traffic problem, the idea that from my driveway to the end of the block might take oh, 4 stop lights to get through, for say 18 months at a time? No big deal. Thank god therapy doesn't make noise or shut down streets. Or we would never get anywhere. Welcome to Berkeley. You’ve heard the joke about Berkeley:

Why do we have so many contractors and therapists?
Because everyone thinks they can fix everything.

As Thomas notes above, there are rules about hours etc. Can the building inspector. He’ll be very happy to write a ticket because the city is low on funds.

On my street, UC berkeley, and the local high-rise apartment landlord have been in constant construction for 12 years straight. First one, then the other. Then back again. But they also use professional construction companies that work from 8-4 monday through friday.

The street is one way, has two rows of parking, and two lanes for driving. At least one lane of parking and one lane for driving has been closed the entire time, for staging. It’s just free space right? The traffic problem, the idea that from my driveway to the end of the block might take oh, 4 stop lights to get through, for say 18 months at a time? No big deal.

Thank god therapy doesn’t make noise or shut down streets. Or we would never get anywhere.

Welcome to Berkeley.

]]> By: Bill http://www.inberkeley.com/2009/10/02/editorial-construction-noise-and-quality-of-life/comment-page-1/#comment-3413 Bill Sat, 03 Oct 2009 18:46:28 +0000 http://www.inberkeley.com/2009/10/02/editorial-construction-noise-and-quality-of-life/#comment-3413 I have a neighbor who for the past 5 years has had construction going on for probably 4 1/2 of those years. 6 months to renovate this, 2 months of silence, 5 months of renovating that, etc. For the past 6 months of work, they were living somewhere else, while we had to take the brunt of the noise. I don't think they use licensed contractors, a truck will pull up and a guy will do some work for a few days, then come back a week later and work a few days more. I wish this neighbor would just go balls out for 3 months and get it over with. I work from home most days, so it kills me. It's like Chinese water torchure. Thump thump thump, silence, thump thump thump, silence, thump etc. I've tried talking to the neighbor but they just say they are sorry and it goes on. I never thought to call the police, most days they at least start within the legal times. I just don't want to be that douchey neighbor who always call the cops over any little thing. Plus, I live in West Berkeley where having 5-7 cop cars parked on our street is a weekly event. So I don't want to waste their time on trivial issues, that might work in the hills, but not here in the flatlands. I have a neighbor who for the past 5 years has had construction going on for probably 4 1/2 of those years. 6 months to renovate this, 2 months of silence, 5 months of renovating that, etc. For the past 6 months of work, they were living somewhere else, while we had to take the brunt of the noise. I don’t think they use licensed contractors, a truck will pull up and a guy will do some work for a few days, then come back a week later and work a few days more. I wish this neighbor would just go balls out for 3 months and get it over with. I work from home most days, so it kills me. It’s like Chinese water torchure. Thump thump thump, silence, thump thump thump, silence, thump etc.
I’ve tried talking to the neighbor but they just say they are sorry and it goes on. I never thought to call the police, most days they at least start within the legal times. I just don’t want to be that douchey neighbor who always call the cops over any little thing. Plus, I live in West Berkeley where having 5-7 cop cars parked on our street is a weekly event. So I don’t want to waste their time on trivial issues, that might work in the hills, but not here in the flatlands.

]]> By: Thomas Lord http://www.inberkeley.com/2009/10/02/editorial-construction-noise-and-quality-of-life/comment-page-1/#comment-3380 Thomas Lord Sat, 03 Oct 2009 00:16:26 +0000 http://www.inberkeley.com/2009/10/02/editorial-construction-noise-and-quality-of-life/#comment-3380 <a href="#comment-3378" rel="nofollow">@Phil Price</a> Amen brother. Too much "Dear lazyweb, please clue me in" here. I mean that kindly and constructively -- been there done that, have my grey hairs and lots of years logged so I know how it goes but... hurry along, inBerkeley guys - catch up! -t @Phil Price
Amen brother. Too much “Dear lazyweb, please clue me in” here. I mean that kindly and constructively — been there done that, have my grey hairs and lots of years logged so I know how it goes but… hurry along, inBerkeley guys – catch up!

-t

]]> By: Phil Price http://www.inberkeley.com/2009/10/02/editorial-construction-noise-and-quality-of-life/comment-page-1/#comment-3378 Phil Price Fri, 02 Oct 2009 23:40:49 +0000 http://www.inberkeley.com/2009/10/02/editorial-construction-noise-and-quality-of-life/#comment-3378 I find this post surprising for several reasons. First, because of what I have interpreted as a somewhat pro-growth, pro-construction, anti-NIMBY slant to this blog, I assumed that you, Dave, would be opposed to complaints like...well, complaints like the one you are making. Now, I'm not sure what to think about your views overall. Not that that's important, I enjoy the blog anyway and find it informative. Another reason I find this post surprising is that...jeez, you called 911 about construction noise? I was always taught and told that 911 is who you call if there is an imminent threat to life or property. I absolutely approve of calling the police about construction noise (or about a neighbor having a loud late-night party, for that matter), but please, don't call 911. The number for the Berkeley Police is in your phone book, available online, and also available through information. And, finally...this stuff bothers you so much, and you're a skilled user of The Intertubes, but you haven't somehow found the Berkeley Noise Ordinance? Search for [City of Berkeley Noise Ordinance] and see what you find. Among other things, you will find the construction noise standards at http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/uploadedFiles/Health_Human_Services/Level_3_-_General/Construction%20Noise%20Standard.pdf which includes the (in your case useful) information that construction on Sunday cannot start before 9am and must end before 8pm. In spite of the somewhat testy tone of this comment, which I have noticed in retrospect, Iove the blog, keep it up. I find this post surprising for several reasons. First, because of what I have interpreted as a somewhat pro-growth, pro-construction, anti-NIMBY slant to this blog, I assumed that you, Dave, would be opposed to complaints like…well, complaints like the one you are making. Now, I’m not sure what to think about your views overall. Not that that’s important, I enjoy the blog anyway and find it informative.

Another reason I find this post surprising is that…jeez, you called 911 about construction noise? I was always taught and told that 911 is who you call if there is an imminent threat to life or property. I absolutely approve of calling the police about construction noise (or about a neighbor having a loud late-night party, for that matter), but please, don’t call 911. The number for the Berkeley Police is in your phone book, available online, and also available through information.

And, finally…this stuff bothers you so much, and you’re a skilled user of The Intertubes, but you haven’t somehow found the Berkeley Noise Ordinance? Search for [City of Berkeley Noise Ordinance] and see what you find. Among other things, you will find the construction noise standards at http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/uploadedFiles/Health_Human_Services/Level_3_-_General/Construction%20Noise%20Standard.pdf which includes the (in your case useful) information that construction on Sunday cannot start before 9am and must end before 8pm.

In spite of the somewhat testy tone of this comment, which I have noticed in retrospect, Iove the blog, keep it up.

]]> By: Christine Borden http://www.inberkeley.com/2009/10/02/editorial-construction-noise-and-quality-of-life/comment-page-1/#comment-3376 Christine Borden Fri, 02 Oct 2009 22:01:19 +0000 http://www.inberkeley.com/2009/10/02/editorial-construction-noise-and-quality-of-life/#comment-3376 For three years, I lived in a co-op alongside Memorial Stadium. It was quiet and idyllic, except on game days, but that was exciting and I always knew when I'd wake up to marching band music. The last year was the pits because security guards from the stadium would yell across the late night to each other and then at 7am I would wake up to jack hammering or whatever sort of racket it was. We tried to work with the university to start at 8, considering that we were students and most students don't wake up at 7, but to no avail. At one point, I was sitting in my dining room and my chair vibrated from their breaking up concrete 40 feet away. I also wrote this blog post in frustration: http://clog.dailycal.org/2009/06/28/you-suck-construction-on-campus/ For three years, I lived in a co-op alongside Memorial Stadium. It was quiet and idyllic, except on game days, but that was exciting and I always knew when I’d wake up to marching band music. The last year was the pits because security guards from the stadium would yell across the late night to each other and then at 7am I would wake up to jack hammering or whatever sort of racket it was. We tried to work with the university to start at 8, considering that we were students and most students don’t wake up at 7, but to no avail. At one point, I was sitting in my dining room and my chair vibrated from their breaking up concrete 40 feet away.

I also wrote this blog post in frustration: http://clog.dailycal.org/2009/06/28/you-suck-construction-on-campus/

]]> By: Thomas Lord http://www.inberkeley.com/2009/10/02/editorial-construction-noise-and-quality-of-life/comment-page-1/#comment-3372 Thomas Lord Fri, 02 Oct 2009 20:28:25 +0000 http://www.inberkeley.com/2009/10/02/editorial-construction-noise-and-quality-of-life/#comment-3372 Generally speaking, construction permits entail hour of day limitations on noise. 7AM on a Sunday was almost certainly in violation. The neighbor was, I surmise, pissed at you not because his permit was revoked or even that he was cited - but that he was threatened with citation and probably lost a few hundred bucks to idled labor. I think you did the right thing. When new folks move into the apartment building I live in, that's one of the things I try to teach them: Berkeley cops (usually) exercise discretion well and it is better to, when in doubt, call them in as mediators rather than either go down the slippery slope of letting problems escalate or confront perpetrators yourself. I should point out that for things like noise complaints, please don't use 911 but instead look at the opening pages of your phone book and call the NON-EMERGENCY number. Notification requirements are in place. There *should* be prominently posted yellow-background announcements before a project goes forward - giving you a chance to go and object before the zoning / permitting folks. It's not quite so realistic to wish for a kind of Mayberry RFD situation where the owner walks around the 'hood informing everyone because there is no shortage of people who, given the invitation, will object to and fight anything and everything just to cause problems. The worst case is that someone comes along and convinces the city (against all common sense) to forcibly declare your property "historic" and yank your permits and impose preservation requirements. Finally, transgressions happen but most of what I've seen is the opposite. I've seen a lot of professionalism and reasonableness. Two construction projects flanked my current place over the past year. It's sort of amusing, really - you can almost set your watch by them. Workers start mustering around 7:30 or 8. You might hear the first few taps of a hammer or something around 8:50 or 8:20 (depending on the permit). And then when the hour starts they start in earnest and finish on time. I think it is at least substantially the willingness of our cops to come have chats with transgressors that gives rise to such disciplined crews. You do have to put up with a certain amount of noise mid-day. That's urban life, of course. If you want mostly silence you have to give up city life. -t Generally speaking, construction permits entail hour of day limitations on noise. 7AM on a Sunday was almost certainly in violation. The neighbor was, I surmise, pissed at you not because his permit was revoked or even that he was cited – but that he was threatened with citation and probably lost a few hundred bucks to idled labor.

I think you did the right thing. When new folks move into the apartment building I live in, that’s one of the things I try to teach them: Berkeley cops (usually) exercise discretion well and it is better to, when in doubt, call them in as mediators rather than either go down the slippery slope of letting problems escalate or confront perpetrators yourself. I should point out that for things like noise complaints, please don’t use 911 but instead look at the opening pages of your phone book and call the NON-EMERGENCY number.

Notification requirements are in place. There *should* be prominently posted yellow-background announcements before a project goes forward – giving you a chance to go and object before the zoning / permitting folks. It’s not quite so realistic to wish for a kind of Mayberry RFD situation where the owner walks around the ‘hood informing everyone because there is no shortage of people who, given the invitation, will object to and fight anything and everything just to cause problems. The worst case is that someone comes along and convinces the city (against all common sense) to forcibly declare your property “historic” and yank your permits and impose preservation requirements.

Finally, transgressions happen but most of what I’ve seen is the opposite. I’ve seen a lot of professionalism and reasonableness. Two construction projects flanked my current place over the past year. It’s sort of amusing, really – you can almost set your watch by them. Workers start mustering around 7:30 or 8. You might hear the first few taps of a hammer or something around 8:50 or 8:20 (depending on the permit). And then when the hour starts they start in earnest and finish on time. I think it is at least substantially the willingness of our cops to come have chats with transgressors that gives rise to such disciplined crews.

You do have to put up with a certain amount of noise mid-day. That’s urban life, of course. If you want mostly silence you have to give up city life.

-t

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