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Date: 5/12/2021
CHICOPEE – During the May 4 Chicopee City Council meeting, the topic of loud and excessive noise from illegal dirt bikes, motorcycles and other vehicles was discussed. Residents of the city have complained to several City Council members about dirt bikers revving their engines and racing down the streets at dangerous speeds. The meeting unanimously approved and ordained a number of revisions to crack down on this issue.
City Councilor William Courchesne has been one councilor most concerned with the noise and speeding. According to Courchesne, he has received many phone calls from upset residents in his ward, Ward 7.
During the meeting, the council approved amendments to the Code of the City of Chicopee from the year 1991. Courchesne said that these amendments will help strengthen and modernize the noise ordinances.
One approved revision pertained to the prohibition of “the excessive or otherwise unnecessary revving of motorcycle, automobile or other such motorized vehicle or equipment.” The council also approved hospitals, nursing homes and schools as quiet zones. All territory within 500 feet of these premises are now considered quiet zones, whereas before the ordinance only covered 300 feet.
There will also be no excessive revving, horn, speeding or burning rubber within these quiet zones. The only exception to any of these rules are for emergency vehicles.
“While this strengthens and modernizes our noise ordinances, something I want to repeat that Lt. Holly Davis said at the meeting is that you can call [the police] any time for any noise, you don’t have to have a specific reason or anything like that,” said Courchesne. “Don’t be afraid to call because it’s not a certain day or time.”
Many neighboring Western Massachusetts towns are also having issues with illegal dirt bikes and loud noises. One nearby city who has experienced this is Springfield.
Courchesne said that enforcing these areas as quiet zones will help give the Police Department more ways to ticket illegal dirt bikes and speeding.
“So as people are racing their motorcycles down Chicopee Street, obviously that creates noise, so we’re going to have signs posted about entering a quiet zone. This will be one more tool for the Police Department to add as far as ticketing, so it’s going to become a little more expensive to race down Chicopee Street and those areas,” he said.
There will be a Public Safety Committee meeting on May 19 to discuss the concern over illegal dirt bikes and noise. Residents are encouraged to attend and the Chicopee Police Department will be there.
Those interested in viewing the City Council Meeting in its entirety are able to do so on the ChicopeeTV Facebook page.