Since I'm the one that originally voiced such astonishment over this issue, I'll say one more thing, using David's story as the springboard.
To my way of thinking, David's story is the way this sort of thing should be handled, be it a fire pit or leaf blower. Like has already been said, we already have noise ordinances which clearly cover leaf blowers and anything else that makes noise. I suspect many of the people who want the leaf blower ban may lack the assertiveness that David demonstrated in addressing the fire pit issue.... and it is easier to get their city councilperson to ban leaf blowers than it is to gently but assertively address their neighbors for violating the noise ordinance. What we don't need is yet another law in this city that is unenforceable with the few cops we have remaining. Mike Thompson Soutwest Minneapolis ----- Original Message ----- From: "David Brauer" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, January 07, 2005 3:54 PM Subject: [Mpls] Nuisance laws > I can see both sides on the leaf-blower ban, but I have a related story > that illustrates some of the upside of nuisance laws. > > My next-door neighbors spend most of their summers up north. It make > for general quiet on that side of their house. > > However, late this summer, possibly infected with some up-north virus, > they decided to build a fire pit in their backyard. In the summer, we > happen to sleep on our sleeping porch in the back. It wasn't very long > before we smelled like well-cured hams in the morning. > > I spoke to them about shutting their fire down at a reasonable hour, > and they were very pleasant, but nothing much changed. They were > clearly enjoying their fire pit and, I think, somewhat oblivious to how > it was affecting others. > > Fortunately, I remembered some list discussion about city fire rules. I > called the nearest fire station and one of the fire guys told me the > city rules - as I recall, the two key ones were no fires if the wind is > more than 10 mph, and no fires after 10 p.m. (which would solve the > smoke-out-the-sleepers issue). He also told me where to find the info > on the city's Web site. > > I printed out the rules and went back for a follow-up chat with the > neighbor. It went well. Somehow, confronted with what looked like an > official document (and it was the official law), the neighbor got the > message and the fires were extinguished by 10 the rest of the summer & > fall. > > (PS Chimneys are not the same as fire pits. While you can smell some > smoke, it is emitted much higher and thus doesn't blow in people's > windows nearly as much. Also, most chimney fires are in the winter when > others' windows are shut.) > > I realize facets of the blower ban might seem absurd, but leaf blowers > can violate existing noise ordinances. Perhaps something specifying > blowers' inclusion under this law would help some other neighbor solve > his or her problem without the city being involved. I think some laws > like this are good and can be enforced on a complaint-driven basis if > neighborly negotiations break down. > > We do have to live together in our big burgh, and part of civilization > is having laws to regulate behavior that affects other people. > Obviously, you want to work it out short of that, but it's an effective > tool if need be. > > David Brauer > Kingfield > > REMINDERS: > 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. > 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. > > For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html > For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract > ________________________________ > > Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy > Post messages to: mailto:[email protected] > Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls > > REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[email protected] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
