On Feb. 3, I addressed City Council on behalf of myself and neighbors in respect to a noise complaint that has been ongoing for about 2 & 1/2 years without resolution. This complaint involves an HVAC unit in the parking lot on PC campus at the corner of S. Adair and E. Calhoun Sts.
I have exhaustively documented how the noise from this unit is much more excessive than any comparableunit in the area, and that due to its immediate proximity to residences, completely exposed without any effort to impede the noise, is a relentless, around-the-clock nuisance to the community.
Myself, my wife, and many of my neighbors have all submitted formal written complaints describing how the noise invades the privacy of our homes, disrupts our sleep, impedes our activity and work inside our homes,and impacts the use and enjoyment of our property. Most recently, one young lady described in her complaint that the noise is being picked up by her doorbell video camera two blocks away!
I have submitted an abundance of evidence including audio & visual recordings made at my home andthroughout the neighborhood documenting the range and intensity of the disturbance. This includes recordings made late at night and early morning showing how this noise can be heard from S. Broad St to E.Carolina, over a quarter mile away.
I have also submitted sound pressure level data using audio software developed by NIOSH and OSHA, both agencies of the federal government, that proves the noise emanating from this HVAC is far in excess than other similar machines, and indicates an environmental risk due to continuous and ongoing impact on residential domiciles.
I have also submitted documentation from the manufacturer of the unit (Trane Corp.) detailing correct installation guidelines to mitigate noise. And, I have taken many photographs documenting that PC has followed these recommendations throughout campus, where they affect offices, classrooms, and dormitories. However, they have failed to take ANY such precautions with the HVAC that is the subject of this complaint.
I have submitted multiple requests to PC campus, from work orders to maintenance staff, through various vice-presidents, all the way to the president’s office. In every case, my efforts have been impeded by evasive or false responses, or no response at all.
Beginning in October 2022, I began submitting requests and complaints to the City of Clinton, including the code enforcement department, the city manager’s office, and multiple members of city council. I have not only met, but exceeded, all requests to substantiate my complaint, including nine (so far) corroborating written complaints.
Yet consistently, I have seen the city extend every benefit of the doubt in favor of the college, all while impeding my efforts with evasive responses and bureaucratic roadblocks.
Keep in mind that the City of Clinton Code of Ordinances clearly states in Sec. 50-34 (6) that noise from “any mechanical device using compressed air” is “prohibited” unless “effectively muffled and reduced”. And, keep in mind that the PC Honor Code, which all students and employees are required to sign, states “I will respect the persons and property of the community, and will not condone the discourteous or dishonest treatment of these by my peers.”
As the number of local citizens complaining about this noise continues to increase, I hope that all parties concerned understand the risk this poses to what has otherwise been an excellent relationship between Presbyterian College and the City of Clinton community, and that the cost of damaging that relationship greatly exceeds the cost of fixing a problem that should have been addressed long before escalating to this point of crisis.
At the same time, the city needs to support its constituents, especially when they speak up in numbers in acommon cause.
