PRAIRIE VILLAGE, Kan. — Prairie Village’s current building permit states loud noises are prohibited before 7 a.m. and after 10 p.m. on weekdays and not before 8 a.m. and after midnight on weekends.
Officials say some contractors aren't following rules resulting in a chorus of complaints that have reached City Hall.
“This is one where I have received some of the most emotional complaints,” Tucker Poling, Prairie Village Councilmember of Ward Three, told 41 Action News.
In his nearly six months as a councilmember, Poling has come to learn residents in his ward are fed up with construction noise.
“People are getting tired of not being able to sit in their backyard early in the morning or in the evening and just enjoy a quiet evening without hearing construction,” Poling said.
According to the city, his ward and Ward One account for a majority of new home construction.
“It’s profitable for builders to come here, tear down classic ranch style Prairie Village homes, and build much more expensive homes,” Poling said.
On Monday, Prairie Village Assistant City Administrator Jamie Robichaud gave a lengthy presentation to explain the noise ordinance.
“With that kind of construction of activity there’s a lot of noise that happens in a neighborhood and it’s for a long period of time,” Robichaud said.
Many of the complaints are of workers starting construction before 7 a.m., but folks don’t report the violation until hours after the fact.
“A lot of our residents are nervous. They think I don’t want to bug the police department, but that’s what they are there to do, that’s why we have them on staff — to keep the community safe but also to make sure that people aren’t disturbing the peace,” Robichaud said.
There are three options the city is now considering:
- Create a new ordinance that would address construction noise
- Change the current noise ordinance
- Leave it as it is
“It’s inevitable that we’re going to face, and it’s a sign of thriving community and we’re grateful for that but we want to make sure that we have the right regulations in place to embrace the construction and embrace the change and still embrace the community that we are and allow people to enjoy the quality of life,” Robichaud said.
If you can catch some violating the noise ordinance, the city wants you to call the police department’s non-emergency number, 913-642-6868 immediately.
The city plans to continue discussing a long-term solution at their next council meeting on July 16.
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