By Julian Walker
Times Staff Writer
Like a narcotic-sniffing dog in a crackhouse, City Councilwoman Joan Krajewski can smell a neighborhood nuisance a mile away.
When constituents complained to her about small, seemingly isolated incidents of blight, Krajewski (D-6th dist.) saw the big picture and successfully lobbied Mayor John Street for funds to create a program to address those nuisances locally.
That initiative — the Community Life Improvement Program (CLIP) — is now in its second year and has been expanded to cover all three Council districts in the Northeast.
CLIP changed the way city employees are able to respond to neighborhood incidents of blight — including graffiti, unkempt yards, improperly disposed trash and failing to clean up after pets.
Such incidents are subject to citations if spied by a CLIP inspector. Offenders have 10 days to clear up a violation, or the city will do it — for a charge and a hefty fine.
But enforcement powers aren’t enough to stop quality-of-life nuisances. Manpower is needed, too.
Recognizing this, Krajewski in September introduced a resolution asking Council to consider additional funding for the police department’s neighborhood services unit to increase the number of officers the squad can deploy to patrol problem spots.
One annoyance to which NSU officers often respond are reports of excessive noise — often house parties or people with booming car audio systems.
Current city laws place the power to monitor loud noise with the city Department of Public Health’s air management services unit. But that agency only addresses “commercial, industrial and institutional” noise complaints, according to an agency representative.
Residential noise complaints are referred to local police, who don’t have the technical equipment to measure sound levels.
Krajewski’s solution comes in the form of a Council ordinance that, if adopted, would place noise-monitoring powers with police and CLIP personnel with the city Department of Licenses & Inspections.
She wants the city to purchase 20 sound-level meters for police and L&I staffers who patrol neighborhoods. The devices read decibel levels and cost $2,000 apiece. The devices allow users to instantly gauge noise levels.
According to city code, any sound that exceeds the background noise by three decibels in a residential area and five decibels in a commercial zone is considered excessive.
When enforcing noise violations, Air Management Services tends to take a more conciliatory tact, working with violators to bring noise to acceptable levels.
If a compromise can’t be reached, the agency can assess fines and, in drastic cases, file suit in Common Pleas Court.
Through Krajewski’s legislation, current penalties for exceeding acceptable noise levels could triple in some instances.
Under her ordinance, fines range from $100-$300; previously the lowest fine was $25.
“This is in response to loud noise violations that are occurring in residential areas,” Krajewski explained. “I consider it a quality-of-life issue. You have noisy motorcycles, blaring car alarms, loud music from cars and house party DJs. In some places when they go up the street you can’t even hear your TV.
“There’s no reason for any of that. No one objects to house parties, but when it is that loud at two or three in the morning, that is a problem.”
Unlike her CLIP program, which is concentrated in the Northeast, this new attack on neighborhood noise will be citywide. ••
Reporter Julian Walker can be reached at 215-354-3038 or jwalker@phillynews.com