Peachtree City

now has an official process to handle noise complaints from dumpsters

being emptied in the early morning hours.

The new regulations,

adopted by City Council at its meeting Thursday night, contain restrictions

that can be placed on sanitation companies if trucks repeatedly cause

noise problems for local residents.

The restrictions

will go into effect if two complaints from different addresses are registered

about a particular dumpster site within a 30-day period. In such cases,

waste collection would be banned at that site from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.,

unless that would cause a threat to public health, safety or welfare.

If the collection

ban isn't workable, the city will work with the sanitation companies to

minimize dumpster noise through noise-muffling equipment, driver education

and possible dumpster relocation in some cases.

If the noise

continues, the sanitation company can be taken to municipal court and

prosecuted through the city's nuisance ordinance.

Mayor Bob Lenox

said the ordinance was important since it outlined the city's expectations

of the sanitation companies.

The city has

received 19 different complaints about various dumpster locations in town,

ranging from schools to restaurants to office areas. The new ordinance

specifically exempts dumpster locations at schools, which must be emptied

earlier in the morning for safety reasons.

David Langus

of Environmental Partners Inc. of Tyrone said he appreciated the city

staff working with his company and other sanitation companies on the issue.