Tasha Diaz (Dist. 3)
In the interest of equal time, we contacted Councilperson Tasha Diaz (Dist 3) to give her an opportunity to speak in some detail about her advocacy for higher noise limits. Councilperson Diaz has served on the City Council since 2019, including for a period as Majority Leader. She has been a strong supporter of Mayor Spano and a major fixture of the local Democratic Party. District 3 is a Manhattan-shaped slice of the city, starting in the south and going up through North Yonkers. At one time she represented a large part of Park Hill, the neighborhood that is launching Quieter Yonkers. She has always been an energetic presence at Yonkers community and at political events, devoting herself to many service commitments to help her constituents. We disagree with her about city noise policy and wish we had received an earlier opportunity to discuss the issue with her, perhaps to offer new information and perspectives, particularly about the nuances of noise measurement and of course the adverse health impact of noise.
Councilperson Diaz hews very closely to the position she laid out when she first introduced the noise ordinance change in late 2023. “After covid we have seen an uptick in outdoor activities, and outdoor gatherings in hopes to reduce the spread of germs,” she wrote. “We live in different times and we have to adjust to the times. Individuals should be able to have gatherings in their homes where they pay their taxes and not be subjected to being harassed because they’re having a gathering, and the neighbor feels that it is loud.”
In her view, noise complaints are putting an undue burden on the police. “Far too often the police are called to deal with noise complaints, and in most cases it’s not loud it just seems that way because some people talk at a higher pitch. Some people may mistake this for an argument, or something else when it may just be them gathering and trying to have a good time on their property with family and friends. Don’t get me wrong quality of life issues matter, but to pull our police department away from Issues that are far more important than a noise complaint isn’t fair for the safety and well-being of the city.”
She adds: “The noise ordinance was changed due to the ordinance that existed was outdated. We now reside in the third largest city meaning there are more people, and there will be an uptick in noise due to density, and the increase of population.”
For a full transcript of our email interview, click here.
