For the first time in a decade, the city of Paola has a noise ordinance.
Paola City Council members approved the ordinance during their Sept. 11 meeting after discussing the details during a work session earlier in the month.
Paola City Manager Jay Wieland said the ordinance includes the criteria city officials were wanting, without being too cumbersome for law enforcement officers to enforce. The ordinance uses the “person of reasonable sensibility” standard instead of listing detailed criteria based on zoning districts and decibel measurements.
City Attorney Lee Tetwiler said the ordinance is based on language from a Wichita ordinance that was upheld by the Kansas Supreme Court.
“You can either go with technology, meters and complicated enforcement, or use common sense,” Tetwiler said.
(Read more: The Miami County Republic)