Noise Violations in the Town of Farmville

By Katlyn Norman
Rotunda ReporterIn a small rural town where the wind blows and the children play ball at the park, there seems to be a lot of commotion. Both Longwood and Farmville Police have received a steady amount of noise complaints. This causes a frustration with both Longwood and Farmville residents.

The calls seem to occur at the end of the week. Farmville Police Dispatcher Jackie Barton and Town of Farmville Manager Gerald Spates both stated most calls come from Buffalo, Oak, High, Appomattox and Beach Streets. The parties held on these streets are causing a disturbance to Farmville and Longwood residents. Barton said, "When the callers call us a lot of the time they are calling about yelling, noise, disorderly conduct out in the yard, and the streets basically causing a disturbance that's why they are requesting the police to respond. They're calling because of the activities going on at the party it's not all the time loud music turned up it's mostly because what is going on outside in the yard and in the house. It is mostly noise caused by the children."

There are 16 enumerations of prohibited noises in Farmville. Most students and Farmville residents break a great amount of these laws on the weekends. One of the laws that has been consistently broken is No. 2, which clearly states, "Radios, phonographs, musical instruments. The playing of any radio, phonograph, piccolo or any musical instrument in such manner or with such volume as to disturb any person, or the playing of such instrument in such manner as to disturb the quiet, comfort or repose of any person in any dwelling, hotel or other residence." This law comes into effect when the residence and students are having parties and playing loud music.

Longwood student and Pi Kappa Phi fraternity member Phillip Van Ness recently received a complaint against his organization for having parties at their house. The woman that lives next to the residence complained to Van Ness's landlord that they were having parties and the noise was disturbing her. Although this is a civil matter and no fines were accrued, the matter occurred because the music that was being played was too loud. The landlord, however, did fine the house residents for having parties.

Another law that is violated consistently is No. 12, stating, "Hawking, peddling or soliciting. Shouting, loud talking, crying or soliciting by peddlers, hawkers, taxi drivers, solicitors and vendors which disturbs the quiet and peace of the neighborhood or any person therein." Barton gave an example of a recent noise violation that she described as, "This month a lady called about on Oak Street there were people on the roof jumping up and down. She was calling about a noise complaint she called, yesterday about the same residence where this was occurring they were jumping up and down on the roof, yelling and loud music was involved." Farmville police are not always called to the scene because of the noise, but the way the students and residents of Farmville are displaying acts of disorderly conduct.

If any of the 16 enumerations of prohibited noises in Farmville are violated, there are consequences for the involved individual(s). It is clearly written that, "Any person who violates any provision of this chapter shall be deemed to be guilty of a Class 4 misdemeanor." This means any of the 16 noise violations that are broken can and will be fined. The person who is controlling or operating the noise source will be guilty of the violation. If the person cannot be determined, any owner, tenant, or resident physically present on the property where is violation occurs will be fined.

Barton said, "I think people complain about just basically the activities going on, not just the sound of music, it's the activity that's going on in the yard that the children are involved in and that creates a problem." Over a three-month span between Aug. 20 and Oct. 20, 2008 there were a recorded 60 noise violations. Between the same months and dates this year there were a recorded 67 noise complaints. These complaints are not just on the Longwood students, but the Farmville residents as well. Spates stated, "There are more noise violations on the residents rather than to students, college students for the most part are well behaved.