Q: We're having problems with a neighbor and their noisy TV. We talked to them last year and someone else called police. Now, the noise has started up again. Can you find a solution other than calling police? Try neighborly mediation to resolve noise complaint
Your best bet is to call the Neighborhood Justice Center, which tries to mediate such disputes. Next to trees overhanging into neighbor's yards, noise is the second most common complaint that brings people to the center, according to Arlina, one of the center's case workers.
The problem is, your neighbor has to be willing to participate, since the mediation is voluntary.
Here's the process: You talk to a case manager to see if the dispute is appropriate for mediation. Then, you provide the name, telephone number and mailing address of the other party. If that person declines to take part, you're out of luck.
But if he/she agrees, a time and date is set for mediation, which generally takes two to three hours. Everything is confidential. The nonprofit center relies on trained volunteers and there is a one-time fee of $10. Call 521-6767.
- Neighborhood Justice Center
- Statewide rules about noise