Officials say no one could be prosecuted under Upper Township’s noise ordinance

Bill Barlow

UPPER TOWNSHIP — The current noise ordinance for the municipality offers little chance of successful prosecution, township attorney John Amenhauser said Monday.

As such, it’s of little use in curbing noise, he said.

Members of the Township Committee discussed potential amendments to the ordinance, with the expectation that Amenhauser would prepare an ordinance for introduction at an upcoming meeting.

Currently, the ordinance covers “unreasonable or unnecessary noise,” Amenhauser said, a standard so vague as to be close to meaningless.

Some communities use decibel levels to define what amount of noise would be unacceptable, but township Administrator James Van Zlike said the State Police who patrol the township do not use decibel meters.

“They do not have the equipment or