The May 17 Hellertown Council meeting was the first in well over a year which was not held fully remotely, as council President Thomas Rieger Jr. and borough manager Cathy Hartranft joined in person from Borough Hall. Rieger indicated that June’s meetings will be under this ‘hybrid’ format, with most council members who feel comfortable meeting in person and public participation remaining remote via Zoom.

Solicitor Michael Corriere shared a revised version of the borough’s new noise ordinance, which was the subject of much discussion at the May 3 meeting. His revisions attempted to address concern from some borough residents over the specificity of the new ordinance, which they said would essentially render common activities such as weed-whacking and motorcycle-riding as ticketable offenses.

Corriere said that the changes a mostly applicable to weekends, with acceptable decibel levels raised during daytime hours on Saturdays and Sundays in the residential portion of the ordinance. Restrictions for alcohol-serving establishments remained unchanged from the previous version, he added.

Hartranft shared results from several ‘baseline’ decibel readings she and police chief Robert Shupp conducted several weeks ago from throughout the borough. Most of the samples were taken during daylight hours and registered somewhere between 55 and 75 decibels, with tractor-trailers being on the higher end and children playing at Dimmick Park at the lower end, she said. Shupp added with Route 412 under the jurisdiction of PennDOT, they cannot regulate noise coming from trucks on that particular road.

Councilman Gil Stauffer suggested that acceptable levels might have to be adjusted upwards, since baseline noise levels along Main Street and in more rural parts of the borough significantly differ. As the ordinance draft currently reads, 50 decibels would be the limit during overnight hours, with 75 decibels being the peak acceptable level during daytime hours.

“I think I’d rather start on the lower end and move up” Shupp said, as he explained that Hellertown Police will not be directed to pull vehicles over under circumstances such as a tractor-trailer driving up Route 412 at 9 p.m. Rieger expressed some concern about leaving ambiguity under the resolution, however, without an explicit clause allowing for the borough’s discretion in exceptional circumstances.

“Gray areas in ordinances and laws often cause more problems than not,” he said. “I think it’s very important in times of emergency or adverse weather, certain things have to happen.” Hartranft and Shupp expressed their agreement, and along with Corriere, decided to alter the language and come back at the next meeting with the revised version.

Hartranft informed council of Borough Hall’s reopening to the public on June 1, with masks likely being required for the “time being.” She added that Hellertown Pool season passes are currently on sale, available for purchase both in the morning and afternoon on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at Borough Hall. She said that so far, demand has been pretty steady. The pool will open June 12.

Borough engineer Bryan Smith said the Main Street Pedestrian Safety Project has been moving along swiftly, with landscaping and milling/paving for crosswalk installation being the focus at the moment. The ongoing minor traffic impediment will continue for some time, he added, as he expects construction on this phase through mid-June.