SPOKANE, Wash. – If you have been kept up at night or woken by a loud noise in your neighborhood, you know how frustrating that can be. So how easy is it to report a noise disturbance that is not currently in progress? We found out Monday, it is not as easy as you would think.
We have covered our fair share of noise complaints. There was the odd noise in Spokane Valley. People had all kinds of ideas about what it was – some said it sounded like someone playing a tuba on a loud speaker, a yeti, and even a T-Rex.
That noise was coming from the Valley, but people in City limits could hear it too.
During the summer on the South Hill, we also learned about a small group of neighbors upset about the noise coming from the outdoor concerts at Rocket Market.
The City of Spokane has a noise ordinance that says quiet hours are from 10:00 p.m. until 7:00 a.m. and on the City’s website it says noise complaints should be made to the police department.
You can also call Crime Check, but we learned Monday, that Crime Check and the Police Department will only take your report if the noise disturbance is currently happening.
When attempting to file a noise complaint after it has happened, both Crime Check and the police said they would only take a report if it was in progress.
The City said filing a report every time it happens is the best way to keep a record of the noise disturbances because more calls basically mean there’s a better chance the problem will be addressed. Again, however, you have to call when it is happening. There is no system in place to file a noise complaint after the fact even if it is an ongoing issue.
Noise ordinance is also only enforced by the police department, not the City’s code enforcement. So your problem will only be address if an officer is able to respond as it is happening.