TRUMBULL COUNTY Warren officials deal with loud summer noise

Council strengthened its loud-music ordinance last summer.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- The hallmarks of summer: swimming pools, picnics, booming car stereos and thundering motorcycles.
"Every member of council will tell you, some of those boomboxes can rattle your windows," said Councilwoman Susan E. Hartman, D-7th.
Last year, council members passed legislation increasing the mandatory fine amounts for a first loud music offense and boosting the penalties for subsequent offenses.
Mandatory fines
A $200 mandatory fine is leveled for a first offense. The amount rises to $400 and $600 on second and third offenses, respectively. That ordinance also added a provision for seizure and forfeiture of sound systems, at the owner's expense, for second or subsequent offenses.
"We have a couple people who turn on their car or house stereos and blast them while they're at home," the councilwoman said.
Hartman, who chairs council's police and fire committee, hopes to schedule a committee meeting inviting judges and officials from the police department to talk about enforcement of the ordinance. A date hasn't been set.
"We'd like to meet with the judges so we can see if it is being enforced to the maximum and if there are any changes they'd like to see to make it more enforceable," Hartman said.
Other noise
Although the ordinance allowing seizure pertains solely to stereo systems, summer noise isn't limited to loud music.
Both Mayor Michael J. O'Brien and Councilman Alford L. Novak, D-2nd, said they've received complaints of motorcyclists thundering down city streets, disturbing neighborhoods.
"I have one guy on tape, leaving at 6:30 in the morning to go to the convenience store, and going back home and leaving again," Novak said.
Bikes that reach disturbing noise levels have been altered. "These aren't factory bikes," Novak said.
He hopes that issue can be discussed at the police and fire committee meeting as well.
In Youngstown
Last month, the 7th District Court of Appeals, which covers Youngstown, upheld that city's loud-music ordinance.
Youngstown's ordinance calls for fines and jail time for offenders. A judge has the option of ordering forfeiture of a sound system for a first or second loud-music offense, but that city's law says system must be forfeited for third and subsequent offenses.
Six defendants had argued that the law was unconstitutional.
denise_dick@vindy.com