We believe every resident has the right to peaceful enjoyment of his or her property. In Plumsted Township, some of the most common noise complaints are festival music and gun fire. While we appreciate the freedom to participate in our favorite activities, and we appreciate the desire for businesses to engage in revenue-generating opportunities, neither should be to the detriment of the broader community.

In recent weeks we’ve worked with a local entrepreneur whose activities were creating interference with his neighbors’ outdoor enjoyment of their properties. In this case, a simple, respectful conversation has yielded initial results that allowed the entrepreneur to continue activities at a reasonable volume that permitted neighbors to still enjoy family time in their own backyards.

Unfortunately, not all are as respectful as this gentleman. Not all seek a win-win solution in which each gives a little and the greater good prevails. In those cases, a clear, enforceable ordinance is necessary. Our current noise ordinance needs to be more clear for businesses, residents, and those called upon for enforcement.

If elected, first, we will take steps to provide clear language for amendments to the existing ordinance for Township Committee discussion. Then, we will broadly communicate the details of the clarified ordinance so what’s permitted is understood. And finally, we will work with those enforcing the ordinance to provide training to assist with timely, effective resolution of complaints.