Council member Marian Miller said the amendment to the City of Laurens’ noise ordinance is “nothing new”.

The first reading of ordinance 26-07-01 was passed unanimously Tuesday evening. It addresses excessive motor vehicle noise, modified exhaust systems, nuisance exhaust emissions and businesses that install or create unlawful vehicle modifications.

“One of the things we have to concern ourselves with is the quality of life in the city. There has been a nuisance ordinance in place since the city was founded. Unfortunately, because of the time the last ordinance was written it was not as clear as it needed to be,” Mayor Nathan Senn said. “This makes absolutely clear those things we need to address.”

The amended ordinance make it unlawful to operate vehicles equipped with muffler cutouts, straight pipes, deleted mufflers and other modifications.

Sound meters and emissions testing is not required, however, violations could be measured through citizen complaint, videos and officer observations.

The second ordinance passed unanimously amends regulations governing animals, livestock, poultry, backyard hens, animal enclosures and animal-related nuisances.

Senn said the ordinance is more about sanitary conditions and if the animals are causing a nuisance to neighbors than it is about having chickens in the backyard.

“I grew up on a farm about three miles outside of town. My parents at this moment have chickens running around their yard. When I lived in the city of Charleston, I had my own chickens in the back yard. I am very pro chicken,” Senn said. “[In the previous ordinance] there was only one animal you could not have and that is swine. You couldn’t operate a commercial farm in the city, there were regulations concerning that but with the lack of detail about what happens to animals and how they’re kept, we’re seeing some people unfortunately not care for animals as they should.”

Up to six hens are approved for backyards within city limits. Roosters are still prohibited as are commercial farms.

“Similar to the noise ordinance, this is nothing new. We’re just doing our best taking care to give liberty to individual property owners versus creating a situation where we have animal related nuisances,” Senn said.

Miller agreed.

“We don’t want to detour you, we just don’t want animals to interfere on your neighbors or your neighborhood. Then it becomes a problem,” Miller said.

Both proposals are part of a larger effort to modernize city ordinances addressing neighborhood quality of life, public safety and nuisance complaints.

The two ordinances will come before the council for a second reading before becoming official.