KCRag Forum

Are there construction permits available in Kansas City that trump our noise ordinance? How about sandblasting between the hours of 9PM and 5AM, with open windows, only a few feet away from residential units? It's incredibly loud.

The KCMO police advise that this construction is legal as permits are in place, but something doesn't seem right here.

My friend wants to know & is losing a lot of sleep. Figured someone on here might know.

(Apologies if this has been discussed elsewhere, although I didn't find anything in a few minutes of searching.)

Does your friend live in the Freighthouse District by any chance?  The McGowan Walsh projects and the Awesome Lofts project have all been employing round the clock crews on and off all summer.  Fortunately our windows face the other direction, so I only hear it if I go outside. 

Yep - her windows directly face the open windows of one of those projects, complete with dust, debris, and 130db pouring out all night long.

It does wonders for the clean cars parked below too!  I am much more frustrated about the ridiculusly slow progress on the street construction in the neighborhood.  At this rate they will finish the final phase in 2015.  Whomever the city gave that contract to seems to only work one day a week.

Close your windows and turn on your AC. That is the only way to fight it. With cities going to night constructoin more and more to make the lowest impact on traffic there is a little trade off that the residents have to face.

Unfortunately there is no AC so the windows must remain open, dust, noise and all. This isn't a city project but a private developer. Surprised that noise ordinances don't prevent this type of thing. Thanks for the responses!

If it is a private project then they should follow the cities noise ordinances. I know that here in Topeka anything after 10 p.m. is considered noise polution. I would be complaining to your city council person about this.

Makes me wonder about the Folger's factory on Broadway. That's noisy at all times of the night.

bahua wrote: Makes me wonder about the Folger's factory on Broadway. That's noisy at all times of the night.

Yeah, it's quite loud around the Folger's plant at all hours. I've wondered how the Coffee Lofts and 700 Broadway units facing it deal with the noise.

I've noticed the sandblasting late at night when driving past Broadway by the bridge just before crossing by Union Station. I was surprised they worked all night. How far along are they? So what's the news on working late and having or not having permits?

City Life. Isn't it wonderful?

Yea you have to put up with every little noise that comes up.

artistboy wrote: Yeah, it's quite loud around the Folger's plant at all hours. I've wondered how the Coffee Lofts and 700 Broadway units facing it deal with the noise.

I've noticed the sandblasting late at night when driving past Broadway by the bridge just before crossing by Union Station. I was surprised they worked all night. How far along are they? So what's the news on working late and having or not having permits?

I used to live at 700 Broadway back when it was a rental - the Folgers plant is just kind of a constant white noise.  There's a big difference between that and construction noise.

Boy I cold live with that type of noise. Just go out and buy me a set of Earplugs and I am all set. It would be a lot better than living where I am now with my hosts apartment resembling a dump and her waking me up at all hours of the night with her constant banging of dishes. I am thinking If Spangles Builds a restaurant in KC I might move there. Is there any apartment buildings within earshot of the folgers plant?

artistboy wrote: I've noticed the sandblasting late at night when driving past Broadway by the bridge just before crossing by Union Station. I was surprised they worked all night. How far along are they? So what's the news on working late and having or not having permits?

The same crews were out with some gigantic cement saws, but this time they seemed to observe the noise ordinance rather than work all night, probably since they were outside & within the earshot of more than just their neighbors. Work stopped right at 10PM and started precisely at 6AM.

I almost forgot...

The police actually agreed that that noise ordinance was being violated and that the sandblasting shouldn't have been happening in the middle of the night so closse to residences. They went & banged on the doors of the building on a few instances to try & talk with the work crew, who of course couldn't hear the banging over the sandblasting (heh). They eventually gave up. I'm sure it could've been taken further, with someone actually contacting the building's owners, but it never happened.