Noise Control Bylaw No. 1963 (consolidated to A1, June 2025) — full text, Grand Forks, British Columbia

This is the exact embedded text of the captured official document. Snapshot 2cbd642a062d · verified 2026-10-15 · original document · archived snapshot · unofficial consolidation, the official version is held by the municipal clerk.

CONSOLIDATED FOR CONVENIENCE {DATE: June 17, 2025} The original bylaw and amendments must be referenced for official use. CONSOLIDATED TO INCLUDE BYLAWS 1963-A1 Bylaw No. 1963 (Consolidated: June 17, 2025) 1 THE CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF GRAND FORKS BYLAW NO. 1963 A BYLAW TO PROVIDE FOR THE REGULATION AND PROHIBITION OF CERTAIN NOISES AND SOUNDS. ================================================================== WHEREAS the Local Government Act provides Council with the authority, by bylaw, to regulate or prohibit the making or causing of certain noises or sounds within the Municipality boundaries of the Corporation of the City of Grand Forks; and WHEREAS the Council of the Municipality Corporation of the City Grand Forks, deems it necessary and desirable to regulate or prohibit noises or sounds which disturb the quiet, peace, rest, enjoyment, comfort or convenience of neighbourhood persons in the vicinity, or the public; NOW THEREFORE the Municipal Council of the Corporation of the City of Grand Forks in open meeting assembled ENACTS as follows: 1. Title 1.1 This bylaw may be cited, for all purposes, as the "Grand Forks Noise Control Bylaw No. 1963, 2013". 2. Repeal 2.1. The City of Grand Forks Noise Control Bylaw, No. 1313 and all amendments thereto, are hereby repealed and replaced by this bylaw. 3. Definitions 3.1 In this bylaw: (a) "Bylaw Enforcement Officer" means every person(s) designated by Council as a Bylaw Enforcement Officer for the City or otherwise authorized under the Offence Act, and every Peace Officer; (b) "City" means the Corporation of the City of Grand Forks; (c) "Council" means the City Council of the City; CONSOLIDATED FOR CONVENIENCE {DATE: June 17, 2025} The original bylaw and amendments must be referenced for official use. CONSOLIDATED TO INCLUDE BYLAWS 1963-A1 Bylaw No. 1963 (Consolidated: June 17, 2025) 2 (d) "Highway" includes a street, road, lane, bridge, viaduct and any other way open for the use of the public but does not include a private right-of- way on private property; (e) "Municipality" means the area within the City boundaries of the City; (f) "Noise" means any noise or sound that is objectionable, or disturbs, tends to disturb, or is liable to disturb, the quiet, peace, rest, enjoyment, comfort or convenience of the area, or of persons in the area, or the public and shall include, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the noises and sounds specifically described elsewhere in this bylaw; (g) "Owner" means an owner or occupier of a parcel of land, or both; (h) "Peace Officer" shall have the same meaning as in the Interpretation Act and shall also include the person or persons who are appointed to enforce and administer this bylaw; (i) "Person(s)" includes any company, corporation, owner, partnership, firm, association, society or party; (j) "Private Premises" means the area contained within the boundaries of any privately owned or lease lot, parcel of land within the City and any building or structure situated within those boundaries, but where any lot or parcel contains more than one dwelling unit, each such dwelling unit shall be deemed to be separate private premises; (k) "Property" means land, with or without improvements, so affixed to the land as to make them in fact and in law, a part of it; (l) "Public Place" means streets, highways, parks, public squares, beaches, foreshore and all other land and building that is not private premises. 4. Prohibited Noises and Sounds 4.1 No person(s) shall make or cause, or permit to be made or caused, in or on a highway or elsewhere in the City, any noise or sound which disturbs the quiet, peace, rest, enjoyment, comfort or convenience of the neighborhood, or of persons in the vicinity. 4.2 No owner, tenant or occupier of real property shall allow that property to be used so that a noise or sound, which originates from that property, disturbs the quiet, CONSOLIDATED FOR CONVENIENCE {DATE: June 17, 2025} The original bylaw and amendments must be referenced for official use. CONSOLIDATED TO INCLUDE BYLAWS 1963-A1 Bylaw No. 1963 (Consolidated: June 17, 2025) 3 peace, rest, enjoyment, comfort or convenience of neighborhood, or of persons in the vicinity. 4.3 No person(s) shall keep any animal, which by its calls, cries, barks, or other noises, disturbs the quiet, peace, rest, enjoyment, comfort, or convenience of neighborhood, or of persons in the vicinity. 4.4 Without limiting Sections 3 - 5 of this bylaw, the Council believes that the following noises or sounds are objectionable: (a) any calls, cries, barks, or other noises made by an animal which are audible outside the property where the animal is kept, between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.; (b) any amplified music or speech which is audible outside the property where it originates or is reproduced, between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.; (c) any noise caused or emanating from construction activity, including alterations, demolitions, and excavations between the hours of 8:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.; (d) any noise longer than 10 minutes caused or emanating from the operation of a parked or stopped diesel vehicle between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. (e) any noise caused by the operation of motorized off-road vehicles is not permitted from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 a.m; (f) and no person(s) shall cause or permit such noises or sounds to be made. 5. Exemption 5.1 This bylaw does not apply to: (a) police, fire, or other emergency vehicles proceeding upon an emergency; (b) the excavation, construction, or infrastructure work, or repairing of bridges, streets, highways, or lands by the City or agents acting on its behalf; (c) the operation of maintenance equipment by the City or agents acting on its behalf; (d) snow removal or highway cleaning operations; CONSOLIDATED FOR CONVENIENCE {DATE: June 17, 2025} The original bylaw and amendments must be referenced for official use. CONSOLIDATED TO INCLUDE BYLAWS 1963-A1 Bylaw No. 1963 (Consolidated: June 17, 2025) 4 (e) the operation of a public address system required under a building or fire code; (f) a lawnmower, power gardening equipment or chainsaw operated between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.; (g) a horn from a motor vehicle, boat or train where it is necessary to warn of danger or a hazard; (h) an event approved by resolution of Council provided it is within the terms of that approval - i.e.: hours of operation. (i) Any business or industry established in accordance with the City of Grand Forks Zoning Bylaw 1606,1999, as amended or re-created from time to time, in any area designated as approved for that type of operation, provided that all precautions are taken according to the latest and most up-to-date scientific methods for abating, controlling or limiting noise, arising from the business or industry conducted, so that the same may be as free from neighbourhood offence as possible. 6. Construction Hours 6.1 No person(s) in the City shall on any day, construct, erect, reconstruct, alter, repair or demolish any building, structure or thing or excavate or fill in land in any manner, whatsoever, which makes or causes noises or sounds in or on a highway or elsewhere in the City, which disturb, or tend to disturb, the quiet, peace, rest, enjoyment, comfort or convenience of the neighborhood or of persons in the vicinity, except during the following times: (a) Monday through Friday, between the hours of 7 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.; (b) the erection, demolition, construction, reconstruction, alteration or repair of any building or structure between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.; (c) Saturdays, between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.; (d) Sunday and other holidays, between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. 6.2 The restrictions contained in this part may be waived or varied by a permit in writing from the Bylaw Enforcement Officer of the Corporate Officer, granting approval to carry on the work that is found to be a case of urgent necessity and in the interest of public health and safety. Bylaw 1963-A1 CONSOLIDATED FOR CONVENIENCE {DATE: June 17, 2025} The original bylaw and amendments must be referenced for official use. CONSOLIDATED TO INCLUDE BYLAWS 1963-A1 Bylaw No. 1963 (Consolidated: June 17, 2025) 5 7. Inspections 7.1 A Bylaw Enforcement Officer may enter on any property at any reasonable time, for the purpose of ascertaining whether the regulations and requirements of this bylaw are being observed. 7.2 No person(s) shall obstruct a Bylaw Enforcement Officer from entering property under Section 9. 8. Offences and Penalties 8.1 (a) Any person(s) who contravenes this bylaw is liable upon summary conviction to a fine not exceeding $2,000.00. Every day that infraction of this bylaw continues shall constitute a separate offence. (b) Every person or persons, who violates or breaches or who causes or allows to be violated or breached any of the provisions of this bylaw shall be guilty of an offence against this bylaw and each day that such violation is caused or allowed to continue shall constitute a separate offence. (c) After the first contact is made and the violation continues to exist every half hour thereafter, constitutes a new offence, as per Schedule I of the Municipal Ticketing Information bylaw. 9. Severability 9.1 If any portion of this bylaw (including without limitation all or part of Section 7) is held to be invalid by a Court of competent jurisdiction, such invalidity shall not affect the remaining portions of the bylaw. READ a first time this 24th day of June, 2013. READ a second time this 24th day of June, 2013. READ a third time this 24th day of June, 2013. FINALLY ADOPTED this 22nd day of July, 2013. _________________________________ MAYOR-Brian Taylor __________________________________ CORPORATE OFFICER-Diane Heinrich CONSOLIDATED FOR CONVENIENCE {DATE: June 17, 2025} The original bylaw and amendments must be referenced for official use. CONSOLIDATED TO INCLUDE BYLAWS 1963-A1 Bylaw No. 1963 (Consolidated: June 17, 2025) 6 C E R T I F I C A T E I hereby certify the foregoing to be a true copy of the Grand Forks Noise Control Bylaw No. 1963, 2013, as passed by the Council of the City of Grand Forks on the 22nd day of July, 2013. __________________________________________ Corporate Officer of the Municipal Council of the City of Grand Forks