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46 °F Forecast | Road Cams Thursday, November 25, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend November 21, 2004 Noise complaints are countywide Across Jackson County, neighbors feud with neighbors over noise. In the Applegate, Mike Higgins, who owns 20 acres off Highway 238, said he’s got one neighbor with a penchant for firing his gun. "It’s an AK-47 problem," he said. "He’s also loaded another gun with special noise-making shells." A noise ordinance wouldn’t help Higgins and other neighbors because most of the shooting takes place during the day. "He has shot as late as 9:30 at night," he said. He said neighboring property owners have varying opinions about shooting guns in the country. "Some say, ‘If you don’t like the noise, move back to the city,’ " he said. "Some people kind of look at the Applegate as the Wild West." Advertisement Higgins is particularly worried about his neighbor because the man has been feuding with others over easements and other issues, and because the target practice takes place close to his land. "He shoots into the gulch and toward my right of way and if he misses it would go onto my property," he said. At the other end of Jackson County in Sams Valley, Doreen Savia said she’s had noise problems with different neighbors since the 1970s. Just recently, she said she was awakened at 10:30 p.m. when a neighbor who lives on a 10-acre parcel cranked up his stereo system. In the past, she said, "We had 15 hound dogs barking 24 hours a day, seven days a week for two weeks," she said. About five teenagers on another property also like to play music loud into the night. "The last couple of years, they bring other teenagers at 3 in the morning with boom boxes," Savia said. Until recently, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office said there was nothing they could do about the noise, she said. "This is the first year they sent anybody out, or even tried to stop it," she said. Sheriff is no stranger to racket in his own neck of the woods Even Jackson County Sheriff Mike Winters is not immune from noisy neighbor problems. Last year, a group of college students decided to throw a party near Winters’ house on a quiet country lane. "It was absolutely unbelievable the amount of noise," said Winters, who last week urged the Jackson County Board of Commissioners to pass a noise ordinance. About 150 people showed up to party at the house, located about 1,500 to 2,000 feet from Winters’ property. "They had about 150 people there," he said. "They parked on both sides of the street — so close that an emergency vehicle couldn’t make it through." Winters called a towing company, and as soon as a half dozen vehicles were towed away — at the owners’ expense — the students came out of the house and quickly moved their vehicles off the road. The owners of the rented house, who lived up the road, were contacted, and Winters said they took immediate action so the situation wouldn’t happen again. Loud parties are one of the most frequent complaints received by sheriff’s deputies when it comes to noisy neighbors. "It comes down to respect," said Winters. "People need to realize you can’t keep sound inside your property lines." Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities