Sunday, February 03, 2008

Jumbotrons Jolt Downtown D.C. Dwellers

A story in today's Washington Post shares a growing complaint from residents living in the booming mixed-use buildings in downtown Washington: Noise.

Non-stop video advertisements running on three newly-installed screens are keeping residents awake near the corner of 7th and H St NE.

This is somewhat confusing because the city's current noise ordinance already should eliminate this problem. The maximum decibel level in a commercial zone is 65 dB(A) during the day and 60dB(A) at night.

Of course, D.C. statute allows non-commercial speech to be blasted at unlimited volume anywhere in the city between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m., but I wold believe these advertisements are classified as "commercial."

The residents simply should call the city's Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs, which has noise inspectors with the decibel meters.

Read the complete story, "The Sound and the Fury: Gallery Place's Noisy Billboards Drive Some to Distraction" online here.

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