Disorderly Behavior By-Law Aims to Curb Late Night Street Noise

Residents of the town of Brookline are fed up with late night noise on the streets.

“Our intent is to focus attention on the ongoing noise problem specifically in North Brookline, though I understand that it does occur around the Village,” Nancy Heller, town meeting member and cosponsor of the Article 14 Disorderly Behavior Bylaw said at the selectmen’s meeting on Tuesday, April 9.

“We would like to have a Town Meeting confirming that the problem is a serious one and it needs additional help,” Heller said.

Warrant Article 14 makes it explicit that disturbing residential peace and quiet constitutes disorderly behavior. Heller and co-sponsor Stanley Spiegel want this late night loud behavior to be handled non-criminally. “The (current) article talks about misdemeanors, but it doesn’t discuss civil penalties,” Heller said.

Article 14 would grant Brookline Police the ability to issue $100 civil penalties to people causing late night noise. This is a $50 increase from the current penalty. “It would mean that if someone was issued a fine by the police, it’s not a criminal offense and it wouldn’t follow them around or become part of their record,” Heller said.

“The issue is noise in the nighttime. It’s people getting off of the party bus at 3 in the morning and being very loud. It’s people walking in the street and waking people up in their homes,” Heller said. “We are trying to find another tool for the police to use to quiet down these behaviors.”

Many residents living near the Boston University campus spoke about noise related problems.

“We hear a lot of complaints from people who live in the neighborhood on or near Pleasant Street,” Diane Spiegel, Town Meeting Member said. “We have a noise bylaw, which is mostly for machinery. We have a nuisance by-law, which is for party noise emanating from residences. But that didn’t seem to cover noise on the streets. So now we have the disorderly by-law.”

“I think this Article will give the police another tool,” Maura Toomey, Precinct Eight said. “I live in the North Brookline area and this is a huge problem. So anything they can do will be very helpful.”

“This is a real problem,” John Shreffler of Browne and Pleasant Street. “”Pleasant Street and Babcock Street are notorious at B.U. for being party streets. Kids go up and down these streets making an enormous amount of noise.”

This issue will be addressed at the May 28 Annual Town Meeting. Using the comments section, tell us: What has been your experience with late night street noise in town?