PLEASE NOTE: Individual town ordinances, listed under a topic
heading, are cited because of their currency, innovation, or
relevance to sparsely (or densely) populated communities.  OSP
does not recommend the use of any specific ordinance as a model. 
Municipalities are encouraged to seek advice from legal counsel
before adopting any ordinance or regulation.

Noise Control

Town of Plymouth Disorderly Action Ordinance, 1993

Disorderly Actions: A person is guilty of disorderly actions if:

I. A person knowingly or purposely creates a condition which is
hazardous to himself or another in a public place by any action
which serves no legitimate purpose; or

II. A person:

      a. Engages in fighting or violent, tumultuous or
threatening behavior in a public place; or

      b. Directs at another person in a public place obscene,
derisive, or offensive words which are likely to provoke a volent
reaction on the part of any ordinary person; or

      c. Obstructs vehicular or pedestrian traffic on any public
street or sidewalk or the entrance to any public building; or

      d. Engages in conduct in a public place which substantially
interferes with a criminal investigation, a firefighting
operation to which RSA 154:17 is applicable, the provision of
emergency medical treatment, or the provision of other services
when traffic or pedestrian management is required; or

      e. Knowingly refuses to comply with a lawful order of a
peace officer to move from any public place; or

III. A person:

      a. Making loud or unreasonable noises in a public place, or
making loud or unreasonable noises in a private place which can
be heard in a public place or other private places, which noises
would disturb a person of average sensibilities; or

      b. Disrupting the orderly conduct of business in any public
or governmental facility; or

      c. Disrupting any lawful assembly or meeting of persons
without lawful authority; or

      d. Making loud or unreasonable noises by operating any
mechanically powered saw, grinder, drill, lawn mower or garden
tool, or similar device used outdoors, with the exception of
snowblowers, before 6:00 a.m. Monday through Saturday an before
10:00 a.m. on Sunday; or

      e. Making loud or unreasonable noises by loading,
unloading, opening, closing, or otherwise handling boxes, crates,
containers, building materials, trash cans, dumpsters, or similar
objects between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.; or

      f. Operating any motor vehicle within the town of Plymouth
so as to make excessive noise by any of the following means:

      1. Misuse of power, acceleration or traction so as to spin
the wheels in the manner commonly known as "laying rubber".

      2. Misuse of brake and stopping power in the deceleration
of a motor vehicle where no emergency exists.

      3. Misuse of power, acceleration or traction by means of
rapid upshift or downshift of transmission gears.

      4. Racing of engine by means of the accelerator,
carburetor, gear selector, either when the motor vehicle is in
motion or stationary.

      g. Continuing, or causing or allowing to be made or
continued any action under the foregoing sections a, b, c, d, e,
or f.

IV. In this section:

      a. "lawful Order" means

      1. a command issued to any person for the purpose of
preventing said person from committing any offense when the
officer has reasonable grounds to believe that said person is
about to commit any such offense, or when said person is engaged
in a course of conduct which makes his commission of such as
offense imminent; or

      2. a command issued to any person to stop him from
continuing to commit any offense when the officer has reasonable
grounds to believe that said person is presently engaged in
conduct which constitutes any such offense.

      b. "Public Place" means any place to which the public or a
substantial group has access.  The term includes, but is not
limited to, public ways, sidewalks, schools, hospitals,
government offices or facilities, and the lobbies or hallways of
apartment buildings, dormitories, hotels or motels.

V. Exemptions:

      a. The following uses and activities shall be exempt from
disorderly actions regulations:

      1. noises of safety signals and warning devices when used
for the purpose for which they were intended and emergency
pressure relief valves;

      2. noises resulting from any authorized vehicles, when
responding to emergency pressure relief valves;

      3. noises resulting from any emergency an maintenance work
as performed by the Town of Plymouth, by the State of New
Hampshire, Plymouth State College, Plymouth Highway Department,
Plymouth Water and Sewer employees or other public utility
companies; noises resulting from the provision of municipal
services; noises resulting from private snowplowing services;

      4. any other noise resulting from activities of a temporary
duration permitted by law and for which a license or permit
thereof has been granted or issued by the Town of Plymouth;

      5. parades and public gatherings for which the Town of
Plymouth has issued a permit;

      6. bells, chimes or carillons that are presently installed
and in use for any purpose;

      7. agricultural operations under RSA 430 c:1, c:2, c:3,
c:4.
VI.  Application for Special Permit

Prior to the commencement of activity which may violate this
ordinance, application for a special permit for relief from this
ordinance on the basis of undue hardship may be made to the Board
of Selectmen.  Any permit granted by the Selectmen shall be in
writing and set forth all conditions pertaining to the specified
noise and a reasonable time limit for its abatement.

VII.  Disorderly Actions is a violation, punishable by a fine of
not less than $50. but not exceeding $1000.00.