Although his house doesn't border the Northside Property Yard, longtime Vienna resident and one-time Town Councilman Tom Chittenden has heard his neighbors complain about the noise that comes from the property. Whether it's town trucks exiting the site or workers tearing up leaves from the fall leaf collection, the noise can echo across property lines.
"I think the engineers did not realize what a natural amphitheater that site is," Chittenden said.
Last Jan. 8, residents and town officials and staff gathered to discuss noise levels and lighting pollution at the Northside Property Yard, a town-owned property that holds the Department of Public Works and all town vehicles. While residents voiced their concerns, town staff explained what initiatives they've taken to reduce noise and light at the property.
"I think everyone was satisfied with the meeting. We are working on their concerns. I think there was a sense of accomplishment," said Dennis King, the town's Public Works director.
The site, located at a dead-end of Mill Street Northeast, lies in a valley near the Washington & Old Dominion Trail. The houses surrounding the property rest on a hill next to the property and look down on the site.
THE TOWN OPENED the facility this past July 2002, despite protests from members of the Northeast Vienna Citizens Association (NEVCA) to find another site or modify the designs of the current structure. The town had used the property for other uses, such as storing salt, pipes and brick.
"Since redevelopment of the area began, members of the committee kept watch" on the property, said NEVCA member Bob Meyers.
According to NEVCA members, some of the problems have been the noise from trucks backing out of the site and light coming from street lamps. Also, during occasions such as snow emergencies, some members have said they've been awakened by the sound of sand and gravel being dumped onto trucks.
"It's pretty loud," Meyers said.
The yard operates during normal workweek hours, despite some exceptions.
"We operate generally from 7 [a.m.] to 3:30 [p.m.], but when there's snow emergencies, water-line breaks or leaf collection, we're in there much later," King said.
To remedy some of the concerns, the town recently installed newer lights that cut the amount of light under the fuel island. They've also put film on the windows to minimize the glare coming from the interior lights of the building.
At the meeting, town staff also explained the guidelines they're under for the site, such as an OSHA code for safety and adequate lighting.
"Since the facility opened, they've reduced the lights quite a bit," Meyers said.
AREA RESIDENTS ALSO offered their suggestions to the town, including changing the parking allocation on the site from assigned spaces to non-assigned spaces, and finding another site in town where trucks can reload on sand and gravel, so they don't have to return to the property yard.
"They should train their employees to think differently from where they are," Chittenden said, explaining that employees should keep in mind the residential area surrounding them.
Meyers, who attended the meeting on Jan. 8, said town staff encouraged them to contact the mayor and the Public Works Department should concerns persist.
"I think that the town is hearing our concerns," Meyers said.