Generator at ShopRite drew complaints; store installed barriers and expedited inspections

An agency official told the meeting that residents near the ShopRite construction site reported continuous, disruptive noise from a temporary outdoor generator, which staff recorded at 'extremely loud, 85 to 90 decibels constant.' The generator, installed while electrical equipment was relocated outside the building, backed up to condominiums and caused audible vibrations in nearby homes.

Why it matters: Neighbors said the noise and vibrations made sleep difficult and raised quality-of-life concerns. The health, fire and building departments coordinated with ShopRite to reduce the impact and speed repairs so the generator could be removed sooner.

Details: According to the agency official, ShopRite initially tried several mitigations — placing the generator behind an 18-wheeler, building sound barriers and draping deadening blankets — and measured roughly a 10–15 decibel reduction on average after successive changes. The fire chief helped obtain a contractor at ShopRite’s expense to work on the weekend; building inspectors advanced inspections on short notice, but a storm forced crews to pause before the unit was removed two days earlier than the company’s original schedule.

The official said building inspectors cleared the new portion of the store for opening after the noise work and inspections concluded. The meeting record does not include a formal enforcement action or a numerical compliance citation; it records department-led mitigation, measurements and coordination with the business.

Next steps: The department will continue to monitor noise complaints related to construction and commercial equipment; the agency official said the building department had cleared the new store area and that the immediate generator issue was resolved through those combined steps.