CHRISTMAS spirit has taken a hit in the suburb of Parmelia after a neighbour complained about “loud” Christmas Carols.
The City of Kwinana issued a noise complaint to resident Grant O’Neill saying he could be fined $250 for a first offence if he did not turn the music down.
Mr O’Neil said he was upset after receiving the letter and considered turning off his impressive Christmas lights display that he had been showing, without any dramas for the past four years.
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READ NOW“I was initially so upset that my dummy spit reaction was ‘everything goes off’,” he wrote on Facebook.
“Thankfully my loving and long-suffering wife persuaded me to turn them back on again.
He said the music was played through small computer speakers and was turned off before 10pm.
“At full volume you can barely hear them from the road,” he said.
“We have had our lights and music on for the last four years and this is our first complaint,” he said.
He said the neighbour who complained did not live close by, but was in the same street.
“They do live in our street yet are far away for the sound of the music to not even be heard from their front door,” he said.
“We would have appreciated at least a knock on our door to discuss the matter.”
Mr O’Neil said the council advised today that they did not have to turn their music down or off.
But he said if another complaint was made the council would measure the noise level from the complainant’s front door.
“They will then speak to us directly if the noise level is deemed over the level stated in the Environmental Protection Act 1986,” he said.
Kwinana Mayor Carol Adams said the city recently received a complaint regarding noise at the Parmelia property.
“A letter was sent out shortly after, explaining the nature of the complaint,” she said.
“At this stage no further action has been taken, other than to discuss the matter with the parties involved.
“In all cases such as these, we encourage residents to talk with one another to resolve any concerns prior to bringing it to council.”
She said Kwinana had a great community spirit.
“The city takes a common-sense approach to handling these types of matters,” Cr Adams said.