Pool proposal, no; Outfall, yes; City Hall, yes
Some people who drive cars have accidents. To solve the problem, let’s take away everyone’s license. That appears to be the way Rehoboth Mayor Sam Cooper wants to solve a noise problem.
Faced with residents complaining about noise from neighbors’ pools, Cooper proposed that anyone who has a rental license must lock up their pools or spas. Rental license or pool license, but not both.
Even that drastic measure won’t stop all the noise. Some complaints are about owneroccupied properties. The mayor’s proposal indiscriminately burdens rental property owners – even those whose renters do not cause complaints – but does not stop noise.
Because the noise issue has come to a head just as the city goes to referendum to borrow money for two major undertakings – a new city hall and a wastewater outfall – the noise problem threatens to derail these longplanned projects.
No one loves the idea of dumping treated wastewater in the ocean, but science supports the approach, as do economics. Interest rates are low, and needed equipment, once in high demand for oil rigs, is now readily available. On the other hand, the costs of a yet-to-be-designed land-application project are likely to rise during the lengthy permitting process, driving up costs and minimizing savings. State officials also say land application could result in continued pollution of the Inland Bays.
The proposed city hall building would bring city departments under one roof, improving efficiency for citizens and employees. Much of the existing structure is outmoded and past its useful life.The city is also about to retire previous debt, so the building can be constructed with no property tax increase.
After years of meticulous planning and exhaustive vetting, it’s time to move forward on both projects. To clear the air, the mayor would do well to back off on his noise proposal and instead call for a hotline for anonymous noise complaints. Over the summer, the city can gather data and see whether noise warnings will restore a reasonable peace.
Rehoboth voters, however, should not turn away from the city’s long-planned and unquestionably needed projects because they are upset over noise.
