Committee on Transportation and Public Way
SUBSTITUTE QE D1N A N cjff
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO:
SECTION 1. Chapter 10-40 ofthe Municipal Code of Chicago is hereby amended by adding new section 10-40-255, as follows:
10-40-265 Noise prohibitions In certain waters.
No person operating a vessel, craft, or float on the Chicago River, on the Ogden Slip, or within the breakwater of the Chicago Harbor north of a line extending east into Lake Michigan from E. Grand Ave. shall employ any device or instrument that creates or amplifies sound, Including, but not limited to, any loudspeaker, bullhorn, amplifier, public address system, musical instrument, radio, or device that plays recorded music to generate any sound, for the purpose of communication or entertainment, that is louder than average conversational level at a distance of 100 feet or more, measured vertically or horizontally, from such vessel, craft, or float.
The limitations imposed in this subsection do not apply to:
a person operating a vessel, craft, or float while participating in: (A) protected First Amendment activities; or (B) an athletic event or outdoor special event, as defined in Sections 10-8-332 or 10-8-335 of this Code, provided that a permit has been issued for the athletic event or outdoor special event, if required, and the person is in compliance with the permit;
any emission of sound required by State or federal law or for the purpose of signaling or alerting persons to the existence of an emergency or emission of a sound in the performance of emergency work;
any emission of sound from any vessel, craft, or float operated by any unit of government; or
any noise of public or governmental safety signals, warning devices, and emergency relief valves when used as warnings in case of emergency or danger or when tested.
The master, owner, or person in control of any vessel, craft, or float operated in violation of this section shall be fined not less than $500 and not more than $1,500 for each offense in violation of this section.
In addition to any other department or personnel authorized by law, this section may be enforced by the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection and the Police Department.
SECTION 2. This ordinance shall take effect upon passage and publication.