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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019/01/22 - Item #6 - Written Communications - Watry - 1-18-19Written Communications – Watry Item #6 Received 1/18/2019 (I originally sent you this letter for the previously scheduled hearings in September and November-now scheduled for Jan. 22, Agenda Item #6) TO: Mayor Salas, Councilmembers Diaz, Galvez, McCann, & Padilla Mrs. Judy Wilson’s noise problem, via proposed carwash Mrs. Wilson’s house lies next to and above Don’s Auto Repair at 495 Telegraph Canyon Road. A developer is turning Don’s into a carwash next to her property line. The “tunnel” with the noisy blowers will be at the very back of property, about 20-30 feet below Judy’s back yard. The Chula Vista’s noise ordinance says that the limit standard of noise for a residential area is 55 dB. But if the ‘ambient’ level (current level) is higher than that, then the higher level becomes the limit standard. The developer’s noise consultant measured Judy’s current ambient level at 66.9 dB, therefore that is the standard limit now for her.* One of the conditions of approval of Resolution No. CUP15-0023 was item III.-2: “Approval of the Conditional Use Permit shall not waive compliance with any sections of Title 19 of the Municipal Code, nor any other applicable laws and regulations in effect at the time of building permit issuance.” I had requested that the current ambient level of 66.9 dB should be one of the conditions of approval in the Resolution. It was not explicitly stated as such in the Resolution of findings and conditions at the Planning Commission stage. Planner Caroline Young says it is “implied in the general condition that the project has to meet all of the Chula Vista Municipal Code requirement, one being our noise thresholds. Since this project did a Noise Study, the project has to comply with what is stated in this study.” (Bold type added) That is not good enough. I request that that number be explicitly expressed in the Resolution, for everyone’s sake including the developer. I intend to hire my son’s firm** to measure the level of noise after the carwash begins operations. So I think it is very important that everyone knows what the game is. Judy and her neighbors are already living with double the standard of noise as other Chula Vista residents - - enough is enough. Please do what you can to insist that a condition of approval include some statement like: ‘The operation of the carwash must not cause the ambient level of noise of 66.9dB to increase.’ Thank you, Peter Watry * As a general rule, a 10 dB difference in noise level is perceived as a doubling of loudness. ** My son, Derek Watry, is a Principal of Wilson Ihrig and Associates, an acoustic, noise, and vibration engineering consulting firm located in Emeryville, CA.