Alderman Wilson says committee will pursue 'silent train' measures and address Buddy Bear Car Wash noise

Alderman Monet Wilson said Aug. 28 that the Health, Education and Welfare committee will resume work on legislation addressing train horn noise and will hold an off-site meeting to consider next steps on a separate nuisance issue at Buddy Bear Car Wash.

"There are some things that need to be done," Wilson said, describing late-night train horns that disturb residents in the First and Second Wards. She told the council the train runs through the Second Ward and sometimes sounds horns from midnight to 2 a.m., "sometimes at 3 in the morning," and said the committee will coordinate with nearby jurisdictions including Hammond and Burnham.

Wilson said the committee would examine enforcement under the city's existing noise ordinance and work with the police department to pursue citations where appropriate. "We do have a noise ordinance on the books, and we just need to find out," she said, adding that the committee would coordinate with Alderman Zuman on next steps to support enforcement against the car wash.

The committee also encouraged residents to preserve documentation of noise and nuisance incidents to support potential enforcement and to attend a forthcoming off-site meeting; Wilson said she would not announce the meeting date publicly in the chamber to avoid having the time changed but would notify council members and post information to the city's events page.

Wilson tied the discussion to quality-of-life and mental-health impacts for residents and pets; she also noted the committee is continuing work begun three years earlier on legislation described as a "silent train" measure and expects to report back after the off-site meeting.