policy lab: combating vehicular noise

Citizen’s Committeefor New York City: Combating Vehicular Noise

Olivia Fru

Chandler Griffith

Angelina Lopez

Minerva Muzquiz

Kelly Singer

Central Policy Issue

What strategies can Citizens Committee for New York City (CCNYC) recommend to residents to increase community group involvement in combating vehicular noise in New York City?

Objective

To devise a strategy that will:

Effectively mobilize community resources to minimize vehicular noise pollution

Be executable by resident-led efforts

Adhere to the mission of CCNYC

Recommendation

CCNYC should recommend:

the creation of a Social Networking Website to engage residents and establish a platform where they can learn about noise pollution in their neighborhood, document noise, and organize based on location and interest

Agenda Introduction

What strategies can Citizens Committee for New York City (CCNYC) recommend to community groups?

Methodology and Assumptions

Analysis of Vehicular Noise in New York City

Vehicular noise is a unique quality of life issue for New Yorkers

Measures of Evaluation, Strategies and Analysis of Noise Code

Enforcement of vehicular noise complaints is not an agency priority

Explanation of Strategies for Community Groups

Our strategies focused on bringing awareness to behavior to combat vehicular noise

Analysis of Strategies, Recommendation, Next Steps

Create a Social Networking Website to engage residents and establish a organizational platform

Kelly

Minnie

Angelina

Chandler

Olivia

Research Methodology

Reviewed current legislation to understand Noise Code regulations and policies

Analyzed agency data to determine most frequent vehicular noise complaints

Interviewed city department officials regarding legislation and enforcement policy

Researched best practices in community organizing and for mitigating noise pollution

Established measures of evaluation in accordance with CCNYC’s mission

Evaluated strategies to be implemented by a community group

Assumptions

An increase in 3-1-1 complaints does not correspond with greater enforcement of noise code violations

Because 3-1-1 does not differentiate between different types of vehicular noise, we cross-referenced various types of enforceable noise with a public opinion survey

Scope and size of projects to be implemented is dependent on the resources and capacity of various community groups

Agenda Introduction

What strategies can Citizens Committee for New York City (CCNYC) recommend to community groups?

Methodology and Assumptions

Analysis of Vehicular Noise in New York City

Vehicular noise is a unique quality of life issue for New Yorkers

Measures of Evaluation, Strategies and Analysis of Noise Code

Enforcement of vehicular noise complaints is not an agency priority

Explanation of Strategies for Community Groups

Our strategies focused on bringing awareness to behavior to combat vehicular noise

Analysis of Strategies, Recommendation, Next Steps

Create a Social Networking Website to engage residents and establish a organizational platform

Kelly

Minnie

Angelina

Chandler

Olivia

Noise is unwanted sound

Sound intensity in decibels (db)

Sound

140 Fireworks, Plane taking off

120 Thunder

100 Electric drill

80 Ringing telephone, Vacuum cleaner

50 Normal conversation

30 Soft whisper at 5 meters

10 Breathing

0 Threshold of hearingNote: The decibel scale is not a simple, linear scale. An increase of ten on the decibel scale corresponds to the intensity of sound increasing by a factor of ten. For example, a sound that registers 80 decibels is ten times the intensity of one at 70 decibels.

Vehicular Noise exceeds standard safety threshold

60

70

80

90

100

110

120

130

140

dB

A

mea

sure

men

t Motorcycle

Car Alarm

Busy Street

Truck

Horn Honking

Car Stereo

Highway

Source: Center for Hearing and Communication

Vehicular noise is a unique quality of life issue and greater nuisance for New Yorkers than to residents nationwide

Never Rarely Sometimes Often Source: Bronzaft and Van Ryzin, “Neighborhood Noise and Its

Consequences”

Truck back-up beeps

Garbage pickup or delivery trucks

Sirens from police cars, fire trucks, etc.

Car stereos or boom cars

Car alarms

1 2 3 4

1.932.1

2.462.57

2.72.72

2.852.912.97

How often are you bothered by the fol-lowing sources of noise in your neigh-

borhood?

3-1-1 noise complaints are an indicator of public response, but do not indicate actual noise levels

The Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications (DOITT) categorizes vehicular noise complaints as:

horn honking

engine idling

loud music or stereo

Source: NYC DOITT

Agenda Introduction

What strategies can Citizens Committee for New York City (CCNYC) recommend to community groups?

Methodology and Assumptions

Analysis of Vehicular Noise in New York City

Vehicular noise is a unique quality of life issue for New Yorkers

Measures of Evaluation, Strategies and Analysis of Noise Code

Enforcement of vehicular noise complaints is not an agency priority

Explanation of Strategies for Community Groups

Our strategies focused on bringing awareness to behavior to combat vehicular noise

Analysis of Strategies, Recommendation, Next Steps

Create a Social Networking Website to engage residents and establish a organizational platform

Kelly

Minnie

Angelina

Chandler

Olivia

CCNYC is invested in empowering residents to improve the quality of life in their neighborhoods

CCNYC “stimulates and supports self-help and civic action”:

Award bi-annual grants, ranging from $500 to $3,000

Projects are resident-led and volunteer-based

Projects expected to be implemented in 3 to 6 months

Our proposed strategies are designed to enable community groups to combat vehicular noise

Maintain status quo of referring to 3-1-1 system

Create a Public Awareness Campaign to educate residents on the effects of noise pollution

Launch a Cell-phone Application to collect, record and store noise code violations

Offer Workshops on Noise pollution and Legislative Petitioning to mobilize residents

Establish a Social Networking Website to engage residents and create a base for community action

Measures of Evaluation are in accordance with CCNYC’s grant requirements

Noise Code: Existing policy for sustaining healthy ambient levels in New York City

A revised Noise Code was signed into law in 2005, aiming to creating greater city-wide compliance with the code

The revision was the first major overhaul in 30 years

Goals of Noise Code:

Protect public health and welfare

Foster convenience and comfort of residents

Prevent Injury to human, plant and animal Life

Noise Code:Vehicle regulations applies only in areas where speed limit is 35 MPH or less

Horn honking is not permitted, except as a warning in situations of “imminent danger”

Code prohibits excessive sound from muffler, exhaust or stereo of vehicles operating on public right of way

Excessive sound is defined as :

Vehicle Type Plainly Audible Distance

Vehicles less than 10,000 lbs (Cars) 150 ft or more

Vehicles more than 10,000 lbs (Trucks) 200 ft or more

Motorcycles 200 ft more or more

Noise Code Enforcement:Vehicular noise violations are not an agency priority

Jurisdiction of the commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)

Noise complaints are received via NYC 3-1-1 phone system

Vehicular noise complaints are transferred to local police precinct for investigation

Source: NYC Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications

Agenda Introduction

What strategies can Citizens Committee for New York City (CCNYC) recommend to community groups?

Methodology and Assumptions

Analysis of Vehicular Noise in New York City

Vehicular noise is a unique quality of life issue for New Yorkers

Measures of Evaluation, Strategies and Analysis of Noise Code

Enforcement of vehicular noise complaints is not an agency priority

Explanation of Strategies for Community Groups

Our strategies focused on bringing awareness to behavior to combat vehicular noise

Analysis of Strategies, Recommendation, Next Steps

Create a Social Networking Website to engage residents and establish a organizational platform

Kelly

Minnie

Angelina

Chandler

Olivia

Public Awareness Campaign: Educates residents on noise pollution effects

Public Health Quality of Life

Best Practices from Anti-Smoking Campaigns

Successful public awareness campaign follow these guidelines:1. Research, write, translate set of talking points

2. Draft press release

3. Pitch 15 media outlets

4. Secure 3 to 4 stories

5. Media Monitoring

6. Answer queries from editors/producers

 A campaign would focus on promoting quality of life issues: Public Safety Peace and Quiet

Public Awareness Campaign:Targets a wide audience

Public Awareness Campaign:Fails to offer opportunities for citizen action

Cell Phone Application: Make social ills visible and tangible

http://rentsleuth.com/

App uses heat-map technology to display graffiti data.

Cell Phone Application: Maps complaints and tracks resolutions

App uses cell phone technology to all users to upload graffiti incident reports, photos and videos. Utilizes Google maps

and geographic tagging.

http://graffiti.fanz.in/new-york

Noise Application Heat-map display to visually represent vehicular

noise violations

User generated and interactive

Temporal and geographic tagging to track trends in noise

Option 1: Hire professional software developer to create new application

Option 2: Freelance web developer to create a website that will leverage existing Applications

Cell Phone Application:Empowers residents to collect and disseminate noise data

Cell Phone Application: Requires high degree of expertise and/or cost may exceed grant allowance

Section 1 Sound Facts

Section 2 Science from Sound

Section 3

Noise and Our Neighbors

Section 4 Sound Survey

Vehicular Noise Pollution Workshops: Are informative, engaging and adaptable

Level 1

Allows participants to learn about noise pollution and how they can protect their hearing

Level 2

Allows participants to develop critical analytical ability about noise pollution, civics, human heath and the environment

AgendaLegislative Petitioning Workshops: Empower citizens to enact change

Get NYPD and DOITT to incorporate noise complaints on 3-1-1 Online!

Currently, the 3-1-1 online and cell phone application features are not opened to noise complaints.

We need your help to open the lines of communication to better enforce vehicular noise.

Recipients:• NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly • DOITT Commissioner Carole Post

Neighborhood Listen

Add your personal message here.

Source: Human Rights Campaign

Noise Pollution and Legislative Petitioning Workshops: Fail to maximize community engagement

Social Networking Website:Uses existing platforms to engage a wide and growing audience

Social Networking Website: Is a platform for community organizing

Social Networking Website: Fosters long-term engagement of members

Social Networking Website: Is self-sustaining and provides for virtually unlimited growth

Agenda Introduction

What strategies can Citizens Committee for New York City (CCNYC) recommend to community groups?

Methodology and Assumptions

Analysis of Vehicular Noise in New York City

Vehicular noise is a unique quality of life issue for New Yorkers

Measures of Evaluation, Strategies and Analysis of Noise Code

Enforcement of vehicular noise complaints is not an agency priority

Explanation of Strategies for Community Groups

Our strategies focused on bringing awareness to behavior to combat vehicular noise

Analysis of Strategies, Recommendation, Next Steps

Create a Social Networking Website to engage residents and establish a organizational platform

Kelly

Minnie

Angelina

Chandler

Olivia

Analysis

Time Cost Feasibility Civic Engagement

Length ImpactCost to

Community Group

ExpertiseVolunteer

Based

Max. People

Involved

PA Campaign

1-3 mo. Short Term$500- $1,000

High Yes Medium

Cell Phone App

4-6 mo. Long Term $5,000 High No/Yes Medium

Workshops 3 mo. Short Term$1,000-$3,000

Medium Yes Low

Social Networkin

g Site1-3 mo. Long Term

$1,000-$3,000

Medium Yes High

Recommendation

CCNYC should recommend:

the creation of a Social Networking Website to engage residents and establish a platform where they can learn about noise pollution in their neighborhood, document noise, and organize based on location and interest

Potential Next Steps for CCNYC

Develop internal criteria for technology-based grant applications

Establish a grant budget for projects

Publicize the issue of vehicular noise and potential grant opportunities

To community groups

To potential funders

Citizen’s Committeefor New York City: Enforcing the Noise Code

Olivia Fru

Chandler Griffith

Angelina Lopez

Minerva Muzquiz

Kelly Singer

Ambient noise level in NYC

Ambient Noise Quality Zone

Day-time Standards

(7am-10pm)

Night-time Standards

(10pm-7am)

Zone N-1 (Low density

residential)Leq=60 dB(A) Leq=50 dB(A)

Zone N-2 (High density

residential)Leq=65 dB(A) Leq-55 dB(A)

Source: New York City Noise Code*Standards are based on measurements for any one hour

Noise as a Public Health Issue

Short-term Effects Noised induced hearing loss (NIHL) Annoyance Aggression

Long-term Effects Sleep apnea Stress Cardiovascular disease and hypertension

"Calling noise a nuisance is like calling smog an inconvenience. Noise must be considered a hazard to the health of people everywhere.” – Dr. William H. Stewart, former U.S. Surgeon General

Public Health Continue

Highway or street traffic

Buses

Ice cream trucks, street vendors

Sirens from police cars, fire trucks

0.00 0.10 0.20 0.30 0.40 0.50 0.600.50

0.470.47

0.440.44

0.370.36

0.300.21

0.180.17

Correlation of noises with index of behavioral and emotional conse-

quences – New York City

Source: Bronzaft and Van Ryzin, “Neighborhood Noise and Its Consequences”

Social Media Statistics

By 2010, Generation Y (10-28 year olds) will outnumber both the Baby Boomer generation and Generation X. 96% of them have joined a social networking site1

Facebook has over 400 million users2

If Facebook were a country it would be the world’s 3rd largest3

Country Population

1. China 1,306,313,800

2. India 1,080, 264,400

3. Facebook 400,000,000

4. United States of America 295,734, 100

Sources: Millenials Conference; Facebook; WorldAtlas.com

Strategy 3:Social Networking

Social Media Stat cont..

Facebook added 100 million users in less than 9 months2

iPhone applications hit 1 billion in 9 months3

Technology Years to Reach50 Million users1

Radio 38 years

TV 13 years

Internet 4 years

iPod 3 years

Sources: United Nations CyberSchoolBus; Facebook; Apple

Strategy 3:takeaway