Description
Continues unbearable noise since two continues days round the clock and still ongoing
Not sure about the source but seems coming from John Muir Hospital direction
It's like a loud helicopter engine or something Could be construction noise?
Not sure but hitting on our nerve round the clock 24 hrs since two days
Concerned authorities please look into and address it. Thanks in advance
37 Comments
Lois (Registered User)
Acknowledged Matthew W (Verified Official)
Lois (Registered User)
Thank you for your response. Yes, the helicopter noise we are familiar with. The helicopter noise usually is not ongoing constantly. Helicopter noise stops when it lands. This new noise is like a generator sound for sure. The noise shouldn't be going on all night into 3AM in the morning when people need to sleep to work. Is there a number I can call directly to the construction site?
An anonymous SeeClickFix user (Registered User)
Thanks Lois for stepping in.
We live on Los Banos and my neighbors also experiencing the same. I have asked them to step in as well.
Matthew: Thanks for the response…appreciated. Please note that the source of loud noise is unknown and as Lois mentioned it could be a generator or something, we started experiencing since 2-3 days ago. Please note its 24 hours continuous and is very loud. It’s not only ruining our sleep but also affecting working from home community.
Lois (Registered User)
An anonymous SeeClickFix user (Registered User)
Any update please?
Matthew W (Verified Official)
RSM_Resident (Registered User)
Wow...looks like we are on our own...
For the record the source of the noise is from John Muir’s one of the buildings. See attached picture which I took while walking on iron horse trial..that building is the source. I also captured the video with noise if anybody interested.
Recently something changed there...either installed new equipment improperly or malfunctioning of existing equipment causing this noise. In general JMH is pretty sensitive to the neighborhood...however not sure what happened in this case.
Is there a better approach than dropping the ball and asking citizens to deal directly?
An anonymous SeeClickFix user (Registered User)
Thanks Matthew. I contacted that number and the lady answered the call told me the number I reached was construction and the noise is not from construction. She advised me to reach out Facilities Management. I left a voice mail and yet to hear back from them.
@RSM Resident: You are right. They recently installed something new causing the noise. Not sure if city inspected and approved the work. I am hoping to find out more details when I get the call back. Hope it will be quite night tonight. By the way one of the neighbors (Lois) asked Matthew to provide contact number. I don’t believe we are on our own.
RedTulip (Registered User)
Matthew W (Verified Official)
The number listed in an earlier post is the number provided by John Muir upon the City's request so that it could be provided to the neighbors where they may voice their concerns on this issue directly to them.
The hospital has been asked to locate the source of the droning noise on their property. Per their projects manager, they are working on locating the source.
Not sure what contacting the police department will accomplish as this isn't an issue they would respond to. They would direct an inquiring party to contact other departments.
Matthew W (Verified Official)
An anonymous SeeClickFix user (Registered User)
Not sure if this is temporary or addressed permanently.
I request to make sure to get a confirmation before closing.
I also request other residents to chime in if they experience differently. Thanks.
RSM_Resident (Registered User)
I am glad that residents helping them to figure out but at the same time we don’t want to be their test objects.
My experience is different. It is still there but comparatively noise level slightly reduced. It woke me up at around 3:50am and could not figure out what it was. During my morning walk I figured. Still jet engine like revolving roar s**t 24/7 continues day and night. When I say day and night I mean it, and it is not ok to have this thing during the day.
Are they doing experiments on neighborhood? Whatever it is they installed what ever they are doing needs to be reconsidered and must keep neighborhood in mind and must find better ways.
@Lori and others what’s your feedback?
An anonymous SeeClickFix user (Registered User)
I wonder after identifying the source why they restarted? Does it mean they don’t care?
Lois (Registered User)
RSM_Resident (Registered User)
Correction to my earlier feedback. The noise level is not reduced. It’s back to full throttle like earlier.
Nope it’s not fixed for sure.
@Matthew: It’s clear they didn’t fix it and have no intentions to do so. What is next course of action?
Matthew W (Verified Official)
An anonymous SeeClickFix user (Registered User)
We were told they knew the source and going quite this week end proves it.
Reaching out the media and/or legal help seems right course of actions to me.
Probably reaching out the Media will expedite
RSM_Resident (Registered User)
This noise is still ongoing at this time and seems it is set for another sleepless night.
I like the idea of reaching out media and legal. Let’s involve RSM HOA.
Matthew W (Verified Official)
An anonymous SeeClickFix user (Registered User)
Matthew W (Verified Official)
An anonymous SeeClickFix user (Registered User)
Was the inspection done on Los Cerros/Banos/ iron hose trail?
Instead can we please do inspection in residents presence? Some of us can volunteer and coordinate the time.
RSM_Resident (Registered User)
Tricky situation...
Matthew: can you please provide bit of more information:
1. You mention earlier that, concerns were forwarded to JMH management. Did they really identified the source and fixed the problem? Did they confirm and/or was inspected?
(or) during your inspection no noise was observed and hence there is no problem?
2. Wondering because we didn’t see any mitigation like acoustic/sound barrier or something similar to suppress the noise. “It is still beamed/radiated towards neighborhood residents 24/7”.
3. As anyone walk by the property not the front... backside (a lot going on there) there are still multiple sources of continuous noises…not sure if you or any others noticed it.
4. Concerned about their attitude i.e ignoring neighborhood by engineering/facilities staff and/or in designing & installing big machineries without proper noise mitigation thinking that it’s ok to beam noises towards residential neighborhoods to suffer.
That said…another hospital is under construction there and very concerned that it may make the situation worst if the attitude continues.
Matthew W (Verified Official)
Another inspection of the property at 9:37 AM. The only noise on the south side of the property was an excavator working on their construction project. In the vicinity of the ambulance parking on the west side, there was sound from a forced ventilation system. This sound was not audible around the corner to the north. The only noise on the north side was the oxygen area off-gassing. This was the first time staff has come across this particular noise in either the morning or afternoon. There were no sounds from mechanical or ventilation systems once past the fenced off oxygen tank area. Birds could be heard chirping and cars idling in the vicinity of the MRI area.
Additional staff will check on the property this afternoon. Your request has been sent up to management in order to request that staff available in the evenings check on the property for noise issues.
The hospital is not legally required to provide the City with an accounting for their staff's time on the property. Based on the original complaint of a humming noise at the property, an inspection was performed, an area where a low humming noise was detected & reported to the hospital so that they could effect whatever the needed repair was. This original noise has since ceased through multiple follow up inspections of the property.
An anonymous SeeClickFix user (Registered User)
Comparatively little lower but still there. It’s continues unbearable 24/7 hitting on our nerves. Please please fix it.
Matthew W (Verified Official)
Staff checked on this property last Friday and Saturday nights. There was no noise at all on Friday night. On Saturday night, there was some mechanical noise from the building at the southwest corner of the property but this ceased being audible when not immediately adjacent to the building. No violation present.
City staff has not encountered the noise you state is present during the morning, afternoon, or evening hours. Have you contacted the Hospital directly to review your concerns with their Facilities staff?
An anonymous SeeClickFix user (Registered User)
At time of staff checks (depending on the place & time) they might not felt or noticed, but in reality as we see nothing has been done or addressed…it still exist and we still feel that continuous noisy roar 24/7. Varies between medium and high though.
Matthew W (Verified Official)
Checked on the property again at 9:17 AM. There was no noise on the north side of the hospital property. There was no noise at the end of Los Banos Ave. There was a light mechanical hum present at the end of Los Cerros, but this was overshadowed by people talking & walking their dogs in the park, an airliner overhead, and construction equipment backing up. I wouldn't call such a noise loud or excessive.
Have you contacted Hospital Facilities directly to discuss your concerns with them?
An anonymous SeeClickFix user (Registered User)
An anonymous SeeClickFix user (Registered User)
If not living in the neighborhood, driving around for checking may yield that. But living round the clock “under the line of sight of that building” causes profound impact on our quality of lives. Unfortunately many of us lives under “the line of sight” and at the time of writing this; it’s very much there and I wouldn’t downplay just as hum. It’s louder…hitting on nerves continuously. We have been living in the neighborhood decades and this kind of noise was not part of our lives. This is new and we refuse to live with it. This must be fixed.
As I mentioned earlier I am waiting for my neighbor friend to reach out facilities staff as I don’t have their number. If anybody has it please post here.
An anonymous SeeClickFix user (Registered User)
An anonymous SeeClickFix user (Registered User)
We understand city concluded as no longer an issue, and we are on our own…but for the record we tried to work with the said facilities and they never returned our calls/voicemails.
Also for the record: the loud noise been “transformed into excessive heavy vibrations directly projecting towards neighborhood round the clock causing harmful effects and nauseating/related health hazards”.
Matthew W (Verified Official)
I would suggest contacting a legal assistance group such as Bay Area Legal Aid to discuss the steps needed to go through a private nuisance lawsuit against your neighbor over this issue. They can advise you on the evidence needed and how to proceed with the paperwork at the Courthouse against the hospital. They may suggest using a decibel meter to document the noise level, a recording of the noise, and a chart of the dates you feel you have heard it.
This is a private nuisance rather than a violation of the city regulation. Multiple City staffers have checked on the property from as early as 6:30 AM to late into the evening on multiple days of the week. The only noise we have encountered was noise from the roof of the MRI area which was addressed by a contractor shortly afterwards, off-gassing form the oxygen tank storage arear on the north side of the property, and a low hum from a mechanical building on the southwest corner of the property which was not audible at the north driveway entrance off Ygnacio Valley Rd.
An anonymous SeeClickFix user (Registered User)
The noise problem is not specific to me or my property it’s there entire community. Depending on the orientation and location some residents may not even feel or notice. Unfortunately for some like us and many others in the neighborhood experiencing excessive noise levels. It used to be only in our backyards and outside (with doors and windows shut) but lately it’s penetrating walls inside the houses causing nausea/health hazards.
At this point as city is acknowledging that there is a “hum” present… did any body measure the decibel level? I am asking because at times it’s is excessive and we believe they are manipulating…and could be your inspection yielding nothing.
Last…we are not against the Hospital in any way and in fact we are proud that part of our neighborhood. The only Issue here is the excessive noise levels directed towards residents and they are choosing not to fix it in-spite we are willing to work with them.
We wanted to fix the issue by doing right thing following proper channels and agencies.
If the lawsuit is the only way to fix this…then we have no choice than proceeding in that direction!!!
Matthew W (Verified Official)
Despite multiple staffers checking on the property and at the end of the cul-de-sacs in the neighborhood nearby at various days and times, the only noise detected was mentioned above. The hum from the roof of the MRI room was corrected by a contractor after discussing the sound with the hospital's facilities staff. The oxygen off-gassing was found on one day and clear the others. There is a noise immediately adjacent to the building at the southwest corner of their property but that this noise is not audible from the north side of the property.
We have not heard a continuous hum as you have claimed to hear. We have not used a decibel meter as we have not encountered the noise you claim to hear. You are welcome to utilize one to assist you with the documentation of the sound level inside your home or in your rear yard. A judge would still expect that you provide documentation on linking the noise with the hospital.