Noise Regulation Bylaw

Ucluelet, British Columbia

This is the exact embedded text of the captured official document. Snapshot 5352d9df805b · verified 2026-06-08 · original document · archived snapshot · unofficial consolidation, the official version is held by the municipal clerk.

DISTRICT OF UCLUELET BYLAW NO. 2009, 2026 NOISE REGULATION BYLAW A BYLAW TO REGULATE NOISE IN THE DISTRICT OF UCLUELET WHEREAS under the provisions of Section 64 of the Community Charter, the Council of a municipality is empowered to enact a bylaw to regulate or prohibit the making or causing of noises or sounds which disturb, or tend to disturb, the quiet, peace, rest, enjoyment, comfort, or convenience of the neighbourhood or of persons in the vicinity; AND WHEREAS the Council is empowered to regulate or prohibit the making or causing of noises or sounds it believes are objectionable or liable to disturb the quiet, peace, rest, enjoyment, comfort or convenience of individuals or the public; NOW THEREFORE the Council of the District of Ucluelet, in open meeting assembled, hereby enacts as follows: 1. TITLE: This bylaw may be cited for all purposes as "Noise Regulation Bylaw No. 2009, 2026". 2. DEFINITIONS: "Council" means the Municipal Council of the District of Ucluelet "Dance Hall" or Cabaret" means any establishment holding a valid business license issued by the District of Ucluelet, which plays music for dancing or entertainment. "Municipality" means the District of Ucluelet. "Noise" means sound. "Person" means a person pursuant to the Interpretation Act and shall include any corporation, partnership, owner, association, society, or party. "Property" means real property and includes land, other than a highway, together with all improvements which have been so affixed to the land as to make them in fact and in law a part thereof. ________________________________________________________________________ Noise Regulation Bylaw No. 2009, 2026 2/6 "Persistent/Persistently" means enduring or constantly repeated. "Point of Reception" means any point on the premises of a person where sound or vibration originating from other than those premises or any place on a highway, is received. 3. GENERAL REGULATIONS: 3.1 No person shall make or cause, or permit to be made or caused, any noise, loud music or similar disturbance of the peace, in or on a public or private place, which disturbs or tends to disturb the quiet, peace, rest, enjoyment, comfort, or convenience of any person or persons in the neighborhood or vicinity. 3.2 No person, being the owner, tenant or occupier of real property, shall allow or permit such real property to be used so that noise or sound which occurs thereon or emanates therefrom, disturbs or tends to disturb the quiet, peace, rest, enjoyment, comfort or convenience of any person or persons on the same piece of property or in the neighborhood or vicinity. 3.3 No person shall play or operate any radio, stereophonic equipment or other instrument or any apparatus for the production or amplification of sound either in or on private premises or in any public place in such a manner as to disturb the quiet, peace, rest, enjoyment, comfort, or convenience of the neighborhood or of persons in the vicinity. 3.4 No person shall own, keep, or harbor any animal or bird, which by its cries disturbs or tends to disturb the peace, quiet, rest or tranquility of the surrounding neighborhood or the public at large. 4. PROHIBITIONS: Without in any way limiting the prohibition contained in Section Three (3), the following are specifically prohibited within the Municipal limits of the District: 4.1 The use of any automobile, motorcycle, bus, or other vehicle so out of repair or so loaded or operated as to create loud or unnecessary noise or noises which is audible beyond 150 metres in any direction from the vehicle. 4.2 The discharging into the open air of the exhaust of any stationary internal combustion engine, motor vehicle engine, or automobile engine except through a muffler or other device which effectively prevents unnecessary noise therefrom. ________________________________________________________________________ Noise Regulation Bylaw No. 2009, 2026 3/6 4.3 The sounding of a horn or other signaling device upon an automobile, motorcycle, bus, or other vehicle in motion except as a danger or warning signal. 4.4 The creation of any excessive noise on any street, highway, or lane, adjacent to any school, institution of learning, church, or Court while the same are in session, or adjacent to any hospital at any time. 4.5 The loading or unloading of any truck, wagon, automobile, or motor vehicle in or upon any public or private place or premises in such a manner as to disturb the quiet, peace, rest, enjoyment, comfort, or convenience of the neighborhood or of persons in the vicinity. 4.6 Yelling, shouting, whistling, or singing on any street, highway, or any other public place at any time so as to disturb the quiet, peace, rest, enjoyment, comfort, convenience of any persons in any hospital, dwelling, hotel, motel, or other type of residence. 4.7 The use of any drum, loud speaker or other instrument or any noise-making device between 10:00 p.m. (2200 hrs.) of one day and 7:00 a.m. (0700 hrs.) of the next day, or any device for the production or amplification of sound either in or upon private premises or in any public place without first having obtained the permission of the Council provided that nothing contained in this Bylaw shall be deemed to apply to any motor vehicle under the control of the Fire Department, while responding to a fire alarm, or to any police officer in the discharge of his duty, or to any licensed ambulance or to the use of any siren by the Fire or Police Department, or in connection with the operation of the ambulance. 4.8 Idling or continuously running of a diesel engine, a truck or bus for more than 15 minutes at the same location, except where the truck or bus is located within a garage or depot intended to be used for the long-term parking of that vehicle. 4.9 The amplified sound of a radio, television, tape player or other sound playback device or amplification equipment, or the sound of a musical instrument that emanates from a vehicle or motor vehicle which can easily be heard by someone outside the vehicle. 5. CONSTRUCTION HOURS: 5.1 No person in the District shall on any day before 7:00 a.m. (0700 hrs.) or after 10:00 p.m. (2200 hrs.) erect, reconstruct, alter, repair or demolish any building, structure or thing or excavate or fill in land in any manner which disturbs the quiet, peace, rest, enjoyment, comfort or convenience of the neighborhood or of persons in the vicinity. ________________________________________________________________________ Noise Regulation Bylaw No. 2009, 2026 4/6 5.2 Where it is impossible or impractical to comply with this section, the Chief Administrative Officer or designate may give written approval to carry on the work that is found to be necessary at designated hours. 5.3 Responsibility for obtaining written approval lies with the person carrying on the work. 6. EXCEPTIONS: The provisions of this bylaw shall not apply to or be enforced against: 7.1 A person performing works of an emergency nature for the preservation or protection of life, health, or property but the onus shall be on the person performing the work to show cause that the work was of an emergency nature. 7.2 Any vehicle of the District of Ucluelet while engaged upon necessary public business. 7.3 The use of bells or chimes for the announcing of Church services of all kinds. 7.4 The playing of dance music in any licensed dance hall or cabaret between the hours of 8:00 p.m. (2000 hrs.) and 2:00 a.m. (0200 hrs.) of the following day. 7.5 Any work carried out during restricted hours with written permission of the Chief Administrative Officer, Director of Engineering or designate, specifying the time during such restricted hours when such work or event may be performed. 7.6 Any business or industry established in accordance with the District of Ucluelet Zoning Bylaw, as now amended or as may be amended or re- enacted from time to time, in any area designated as approved for that type of operation provided that all precautions are taken according to criteria as defined by the District of Ucluelet for abating, controlling or limiting noise, odor, effluvia, smoke, vibration and nuisance arising from the industry conducted, so that the same may be free from neighborhood offence as possible. 8. BYLAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER 8.1 For the purposes of this bylaw, the designated Bylaw Enforcement Officer means any of the following; (a) Chief Administrative Officer (b) Bylaw Enforcement Officer (c) Director of Engineering (d) Animal Control Officer (e) Royal Canadian Mounted Police or RCMP Auxiliary Members ________________________________________________________________________ Noise Regulation Bylaw No. 2009, 2026 5/6 8.2 The Bylaw Enforcement Officer is authorized and empowered to inspect, compel, and require that all the regulations and provisions prescribed in this bylaw are carried out. 9. VIOLATION AND PENALTY: 9.1 No person shall prevent or obstruct, or attempt to prevent or obstruct, a Bylaw Enforcement Officer in the enforcement of the provisions of this bylaw. 9.2 Any Person who causes, permits or allows anything to be done in contravention or violation of this Bylaw, or who neglects or fails to do anything required to be done pursuant to this Bylaw, commits an offence against this Bylaw and is liable upon summary conviction to pay a fine of not more than $50,000, plus the costs of prosecution, and any other penalty or remedy available under the Community Charter and Offence Act. 9.3 This Bylaw may be enforced by bylaw notice pursuant to the "Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2000, 2026" as amended or replaced. 9.4 Where an offence under this Bylaw is of a continuing nature, each day that an offence continues, or is permitted to exist, constitutes a separate offence. 10 SEVERABILITY: If any provision of this Bylaw is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to be unlawful or unenforceable, that provision shall be severed from this Bylaw and shall not affect the validity of any remaining provision of this Bylaw. 11 ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS: This bylaw hereby repeals "District of Ucluelet Noise Control Bylaw No. 915, 2003"and any amendments thereto. READ A FIRST TIME this 28th day of April, 2026. READ A SECOND TIME this 28th day of April, 2026. READ A THIRD TIME this 28th day of April, 2026. ADOPTED this 26th day of May, 2026. ____________________________ __________________________ Marilyn McEwen Ed Chow Mayor Corporate Officer ________________________________________________________________________ Noise Regulation Bylaw No. 2009, 2026 6/6 THE CORPORATE SEAL of the District of Ucluelet was hereto affixed in the presence of: Ed Chow, Corporate Officer