City regulates noisy trash trucks

By JOHN MUNFORD
jmunford@TheCitizenNews.com

Peachtree City now has an official process to handle noise complaints from dumpsters being emptied in the early morning hours.

The new regulations, adopted by City Council at its meeting Thursday night, contain restrictions that can be placed on sanitation companies if trucks repeatedly cause noise problems for local residents.

The restrictions will go into effect if two complaints from different addresses are registered about a particular dumpster site within a 30-day period. In such cases, waste collection would be banned at that site from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m., unless that would cause a threat to public health, safety or welfare.

If the collection ban isn't workable, the city will work with the sanitation companies to minimize dumpster noise through noise-muffling equipment, driver education and possible dumpster relocation in some cases.

If the noise continues, the sanitation company can be taken to municipal court and prosecuted through the city's nuisance ordinance.

Mayor Bob Lenox said the ordinance was important since it outlined the city's expectations of the sanitation companies.

The city has received 19 different complaints about various dumpster locations in town, ranging from schools to restaurants to office areas. The new ordinance specifically exempts dumpster locations at schools, which must be emptied earlier in the morning for safety reasons.

David Langus of Environmental Partners Inc. of Tyrone said he appreciated the city staff working with his company and other sanitation companies on the issue.

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