A City Without A Clue

A story posted yesterday on the Voice of the Hill website finds continued finger pointing and bumbling between District of Columbia agencies and the city council about what the D.C. noise statute really means.

The story, Evans Says AG’s Interpretation of Noise Law is Wrong (March 13), reports Council Member Jack Evans—the D.C. Council member who authored a 2004 amendment to the city’s noise control ordinance—said the law was only written for the Georgetown area, despite an interpretation by the attorney general’s office that says the amendment provides a legal loophole for a church group to use an amplifier and preach on a street corner in Northeast.

Meanwhile, the story reports that Council Members Jim Graham and Sharon Ambrose have yet to take action on fixing the law.

Is this noise problem really so controversial that nobody on the city council wants to address it? Otherwise it’s beginning to seem like a severe case of ineptitude.

Again, I emphasize our neighborhood is focused simply on stopping the use of the amplifier: We support free speech, assembly and religion, however we also believe in our right to peace and quiet in our residential community.

Meanwhile, I’ve sent these questions to both the offices of Graham and Ambrose, as well as the D.C. Office of Attorney General. The residents in and around the 700 block of 8th St NE deserve a clear answer:

In light of this article, what's the next step?
Why is the City Council stalled on this issue?
Will the Office of Attorney General take another look at the law?
Does the city need to clarify the statute?
If the law is unclear, can an injunction be issued to stop the use of the amplifier until the issue is resolved?

Are the residents not being heard? Apparently members of the D.C. city council—or attorneys with the Office of Attorney General—would benefit from having these questions blared from an amplified loudspeaker for six or more hours in their neighborhood during a Saturday afternoon.