Village of Edison v. James C. Jenkins, Unpublished Decision (6-7-2000)
Village of Edison v. James C. Jenkins, Unpublished Decision (6-7-2000)
Opinion of the Court
OPINION
On August 26, 1998, appellant, James C. Jenkins, was practicing with his band in his garage located at 320 State Street, Edison, Ohio. Pursuant to noise complaints from a neighbor, Jack Ames, the Village Marshal cited appellant for failing to keep the volume of live band music at a reasonable level as to not annoy neighbors in violation of Edison Village Ordinance 98.04. It was stipulated that appellant's garage is more than one hundred feet from Mr. Ames's residence. Appellant was found guilty in Mayor's Court and was ordered to pay a $100 fine plus court costs. On September 22, 1998, appellant filed an appeal with the Morrow County Court. On February 23, 1999, appellant filed a motion to dismiss challenging the constitutionality of said ordinance as being vague, overbroad and underinclusive. By journal entry filed June 6, 1999, the trial court denied said motion and affirmed the guilty finding. Appellant filed an appeal and this matter is now before this court for consideration. Assignments of error are as follows:I THE TRIAL COURT ERRED IN RULING THAT VILLAGE OF EDISON ORDINANCE 98.04 IS NOT UNCONSTITUTIONALLY VAGUE AND VIOLATIVE OF APPELLANT'S RIGHT TO DUE PROCESS, AS THE ORDINANCE DOES NOT GIVE A PERSON OF ORDINARY INTELLIGENCE FAIR NOTICE THAT HIS CONTEMPLATED CONDUCT IS FORBIDDEN.
II THE TRIAL COURT ERRED IN RULING THAT ORDINANCE 98.04 IS NOT UNCONSTITUTIONALLY OVERBROAD AND IN VIOLATION OF APPELLANT'S RIGHT TO DUE PROCESS, BECAUSE THE ORDINANCE UNNECESSARILY INFRINGES UPON FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS PROTECTED BY THE FIRST AND FOURTEEN AMENDMENTS TO THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION AND COMPARABLE PROVISIONS OF THE OHIO CONSTITUTION.
c. Yelling; Shouting. Yelling, shouting, hooting, whistling, or singing.d. Musical Instruments. The use of any drum or other musical instrument or device with or without electric amplification.
Under this analysis the first branch is easily resolved. We can see no reason why a person of ordinary intelligence would have any difficulty in understanding what is prohibited from the entire text of the ordinance. The prohibition is "noise which by reason of volume, pitch, frequency, intensity, duration or nature annoys or disturbs the comfort peace or health of a person of ordinary sensibilities" including musical instruments which "can be heard more than one hundred feet from the property where it is created." A person of ordinary intelligence should have no difficulty thinking of ways to ensure compliance with the ordinance i.e., turning down volume, practicing indoors. The second branch is also easily resolved. The ordinance stipulates noise which "annoys or disturbs * * * a person of ordinary sensibilities" and "can be heard more than one hundred feet from the property where it is created." A "person of ordinary sensibilities" suggests a reasonableness standard. Only unreasonable noises are subject to enforcement. The distance requirement places "an objective quantifiable number into the ordinance, thus narrowing the scope of its operation." City of Kent v. Boyer (October 9, 1998), Portage App. Nos. 97-P-0107 and 97-P-0108, unreported. Discriminatory and arbitrary enforcement are thereby discouraged by the delineation of a specific distance. The third and final branch involves "fundamental constitutionally protected freedoms." While it is arguable the playing of loud music in one's own garage is a form of free speech, the ordinance does not prohibit the playing of loud music unless it "annoys or disturbs * * * a person of ordinary sensibilities" and "can be heard more than one hundred feet from the property where it is created." The ordinance merely prohibits behavior that invades another person's right to privacy. OVERBREADTH Appellant argues the ordinance is unconstitutionally overbroad because "it unnecessarily infringes upon fundamental rights protected by the
The judgment of the County Court of Morrow County, Ohio is hereby affirmed.
EDWARDS, P.J. and MILLIGAN, V.J. CONCUR.
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