The rumble, roar and back-up beeping from commercial landscaping and construction equipment — an increasingly regular part of the Island soundtrack — faces a potential Sunday ban in West Tisbury.
The rumble, roar and back-up beeping from commercial landscaping and construction equipment — an increasingly regular part of the Island soundtrack — faces a potential Sunday ban in West Tisbury, where resident Marc Rosenbaum asked the planning board last week for relief from the daily din.
At his home on Great Plains Road, Memorial Day weekend was an ordeal of industrial noise, Mr. Rosenbaum told the board during its July 11 meeting online.
“On Saturday, one of our abutters had roofers there, so all day we were listening to music, nail guns [and a] generator,” he said.
Neighbors more than half a mile down the road told Mr. Rosenbaum they could clearly hear the backup beepers Sunday, he said.
“Of course, the owners of the properties are not there,” Mr. Rosenbaum added. “The owners are not being subjected to the noise. They’re somewhere else.”
“I would like to see us do something about this … so that people who really do [live] here and don’t work in construction can get one day of peace a week.”
Planning board members were receptive to Mr. Rosenbaum’s plea.
“I think it’s a good idea to limit construction to six days week,” Heikki Soikkeli said, adding “It’s the backup beepers that are really bothersome.”
Amy Upton suggested looking at rules on the books in Edgartown, which has a Sunday ban and daily limits on the hours heavy equipment can be operated in residential areas.
“It’s just a consideration for neighbors,” Ms. Upton said.
Matt Merry expressed some concern for landscapers, who are working seven days a week in high season.
“It’s going to impact landscapers’ work, not being able to work on Sunday,” Mr. Merry said.
Ms. Upton responded that only machine-powered work would be affected.
“Raking’s not very loud. Digging’s not very loud. Planting’s not very loud,” she said.
Martha’s Vineyard Commission staff member Bill Veno told the board that a change to the general bylaws would be easier to pass at town meeting, and more likely to be enforced, than a zoning bylaw change. Planning board members agreed to pursue the matter with town administrator Jennifer Rand when she returned from vacation.
At the same meeting, Ginny Jones raised concerns about Cinema Circus, a weekly children’s program of Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival parent nonprofit Circuit Arts, which recently entered into a long-term lease at Grange Hall with property owner the Vineyard Preservation Trust.
“All of a sudden we’ve gone from being a very quiet town at night in West Tisbury to being a very busy town at night in West Tisbury, and that was not what was anticipated,” Ms. Jones said.
But Ms. Upton voiced support for the film festival, which took place in Chilmark for nearly 20 years before moving to West Tisbury this spring.
“Because we’re not used to it ... it’s coming on a little strong,” Ms. Upton said. “But in their defense, they really are a lovely group of people doing really wonderful things and I feel like we’re lucky to have them in West Tisbury.”
“Instead of feeling like they’re sort of invading our quiet little town … maybe we can just talk to them about taking it easy on us and going slow,” Ms. Upton said.
“Maybe they don’t speak West Tisbury quite yet. We can help them,” she added.
“That’s a good approach,” Ms. Jones said. “They should come and talk to us.”

Comments
WOW, roofers making noise.
Charlie Callahan So Boston/EdgartownWOW, roofers making noise. Sometimes real people who have REAL JOBS can't help making noise with hammers and saws. Call your shrink if u can't deal with it,they'll come out on a Saturday and they don't make any noise,other than putting your $300 check in their pocket.
The real unspoken issue is
Rational Person Oak BluffsThe real unspoken issue is not the noise from back up alarms - that sound protects all of us- the real issue is the "beautiful people" having to deal with noise from people mostly of color. Latinos, Jamaican's and African American's doing the work that keeps us all afloat. Shameful!
As a person of color, I say
Boston Boy EdgartownAs a person of color, I say your comment is pretty outrageous.
Your comment is off the wall
Dick TIsburyYour comment is off the wall and racist! Are you implying that only people of color work on weekends or do most of the work around the island? Let me remind you it takes people of every color to make this island work, and to get the work done on this island. Educate yourself before making ignorant comments.
Might be illegal. Not all
Mark Acker VhMight be illegal. Not all religions make Sunday a non work day. You are restricting all non Christian’s from work noise on a typical work day for them.
I didn’t see any reference to
Dana Nunes MVI didn’t see any reference to Sunday being a day of worship as their reasoning. Did I miss that? I think a lot of us simply see Sunday as a day of quiet, respite from the hustle and bustle of a weekday. Religion and I have no interest in one another but I hold Sundays sacred in my own way. Is one day of peace and quiet too much to ask?
Agree!! I fully support a
Missing the quiet West TisburyAgree!! I fully support a town ruling on a Sunday Ban and daily limits. Our neighbor’s landscapers come on Sunday to mow their lawn — all three+ acres which takes two hours of constant noise. The first time they arrived at 5pm and we thought it was a once occurrence. Wrong. They come every Sunday. Since when?! Our neighbors live in CA and are rarely in town so are not disturbed. We live here full time and it’s a nuisance.
I wish Oak Bluffs would do
Susan Desmarais Oak BluffsI wish Oak Bluffs would do this. Hearing heavy machinery daily from 7am-7 or 8pm is awful.
While I am no proponent of
James Kozak Vineyard HavenWhile I am no proponent of annoying sounds, a By Law like this restricting sounds on particular day of the week seems constitutionally unsound.
I hope West Tisbury acts on
Gregory Palermo EdgartownI hope West Tisbury acts on the proposed Sunday noise ban, but construction work isn’t the biggest offender. Gasoline-powered lawnmowers and leaf blowers create a din seven days a week in my fussily groomed Edgartown neighborhood, degrading the residents’ quality of life and the workers’ health. The use of battery-powered equipment (solar-charged!) could solve this problem. Many communities around the country ban gasoline-powered mowers and blowers for commercial use. Why not Vineyard towns?
The pollutants that the
Carl KellyThe pollutants that the blowers kick up while making wind are far worse than the exhaust emitted from the engine.
Marc, I work 7 days a week to
Joe West TisburyMarc, I work 7 days a week to provide for my family. Sometimes the only time I have is on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon to do my chores. i Can see a time restriction say between 8-5 on Sunday's??
I completely agree with this
Jane MVI completely agree with this comment. Do you see how many people go to the Edg dump on Sundays?! It is the only day to be able to attend to one’s own home. And how about all those noisy airplanes and helicopters are we going to stop them too? Only seems fair.
People, learn how to meditate. Count your blessings and stop believing that your way of life is better, more important, enlightened, “above” other’s. Most here are trying to make ends meet and survive. Another law is not necessary.
Mark suggested “Of course,
val WEST TISBURYMark suggested “Of course, the owners of the properties are not there,” Mr. Rosenbaum added. He is incorrect. We live next door to the construction. The owners are lovely people. They live in their guest house on the same property.
Edgartown's ban is mostly in
Bob EdgartownEdgartown's ban is mostly in R5 which is the downtown area. All of the towns should limit work memorial day to labor day to an 8:00am to 6:00pm schedule which is plenty of time to get work done. No work of any kind on Sunday. This should include all noise making machines as the landscapers are some of the worst with their equipment. This should not be a hardship on anyone and will give relief to the summer population who keep the island running.
Most towns in the state have
Charlie Callahan So Boston/EdgartownMost towns in the state have a 7:30 am start time in residential areas. Just make that the earliest they can start and there will be no problem,and then all the muffies and buffies can stop whining
The Island needs to learn how
Up Islander West TisburyThe Island needs to learn how to co-exist and look for solutions, not just sweeping reactions which ultimately create more problems. This is a year-round community, not just a glorious vacation spot. For obvious reasons, we can never become a commuter community. We have industry! Building and contracting, land and hardscaping, painters, shinglers even farming. We need this industry, landscapers are not going to come over on the ferry every day on their ride-on mowers.
Reacting by shutting down work is a slippery slope, where is the line? can I mow my lawn on Sunday? are people going to turn their neighbors in for work on a Sunday? Also, remember that neighbor who is doing a renovation will be done soon, it will not last forever, you may want to renovate next and if anyone understands anything on MV you know how hard it is to find available contractors to do your work. You never know what your needs will be in the future so be careful of creating such a precious place to live that allows no room for real life and industry to coexist with also being a summer resort.
How about instead of a noise
Bri WtHow about instead of a noise ban the island mandates a slow transition towards electric landscaping equipment? At this point they’re just as powerful as gas, and most landscaping companies replace their equipment every few years anyway. Maybe there could be an incentive for homeowners to upgrade as well. Not only are the decibel levels on gas powdered equipment annoying, but they and the fumes are very dangerous for the operator.
Why don't you ban Harley
Laurence EdgartownWhy don't you ban Harley-Davidson motorcycles?
They are louder than any landscaping or construction equipment?
Actually there are incentives
Batteries over gasoline West TisburyActually there are incentives to switching to battery mowers and landscaping tools. Cape Light Compact is offering rebates for battery equipment. I got $75 for my battery mower. It also works better than my old mower ever did. Much quieter.
Or an immediate transition.
Carol formerly ChilmarkOr an immediate transition. I just bought an electric lawnmower, hedge trimmer & weedwhacker (Ryobi) - they have interchangeable batteries (just charge a bunch of batteries & go), do a great job, & are so much quieter. And they don't pollute.
Sorry, it's all over. Some
Mark West TisSorry, it's all over. Some beauty, but no quiet, no easy driving, no parking, no island civility. Just greed and chasing the now branded "Martha's Vineyard." Very sad.
So how does this work,
michael chilmarkSo how does this work, exactly ? I hear loud noises next door but I'm not sure if it's heavy equipment or a noxious weed whacker. Should I creep through the woods to check on it - maybe take a few screenshots for verification ? Make a citizen's arrest ? Or perhaps I call 911 or the local police department and request a drive-by. Hopefully the loud equipment is still in use upon the cruiser's arrival. If not, will they have gas-sniffing dogs to detect recent equipment use in the surrounds ? And speaking of dogs... I don't think any of us want to hear your pup's howling during cocktail hour. Is a muzzle-law enforceable ? And what about the awful early-morning bird chirps. No end to the noises in my head.
The noise from gas powered
Vasha Brunelle Vineyard HavenThe noise from gas powered landscaping equipment and backup beepers is almost constant from spring through early fall. One day a week without noise would be so welcome. We're also ruining habitat and polluting the air with all this excess landscaping.
Indeed, Edgartown does have a
Lorraine EdgartownIndeed, Edgartown does have a noise ordinance, not so one would notice. Often times, it is flouted, with hammer, tongs, machines, hounds, trucks, raised voices, very early in the mornings. One does recoil from constantly calling the officials to handle the infractions. Brave new world, I guess.
While your at it can we
matt child of gay headWhile your at it can we please stop the noise at the ferry boat landings...the noise at the flying horses..the screaming and yelling at jaws bridge. Stop the dogs from barking..turkeys from gobbling...fog horns....GET A GRIP PEOPLE! BE THANKFUL!!!!!!!!!
I "love" the "live and let
Wayne West TisburyI "love" the "live and let live" mentality of offenders, whether it's noise, dogs, parties beyond legal limits, etc. "Live and let live" translates to: "I'm going to do what I want and you have to live with it." Some communities in this country (and in Mass.) have outlawed gas-powered leaf blowers. They should be banned--Sunday is only a start tin the right direction for noise abatement.
No leaf Blowers or loud
June OB NJNo leaf Blowers or loud machinery for the Summer peak season.
Fri-Monday
Val I disagree. I live on
Luke West TisburyVal I disagree. I live on Otis Bassett and drove over to Oak Lane several times to see what the the cause of the noise was. This project has been going on for almost 3 years. That property is so loud and obnoxious I could not imaging having to live next door. It is this type of behavior that causes the call to ban construction on Sundays. Give us a break.
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