My three kids joined the swim team at our local pool club this spring. My sons are thirteen, and my daughter is eleven. Although all three are active in various sports, Jessica and I were especially proud of their willingness to step into something new, while many of their friends and peers on the team had been swimming competitively for years. It has been a positive experience all around, and I’m happy to report they’ve made great strides as Farmington Glen Gators.

Returning from a vacation in northern Michigan, I was surprised to learn that “the Glen” was in the news. It seems that some neighboring residents had contacted the public safety department with complaints about the public address system used during the swim meets at the Club. The Glen celebrates a fifty year birthday this year, and swim meets have been part of the landscape for a long time. It surprised me that this could be a “new” issue. But sure enough, the amplified sound system used to announce events and start the kids from the blocks can run afoul of current sound ordinances.

The Farmington Planning Commission has developed a new sound ordinance modeled on “best practices” in other communities. Among other things, the proposed ordinance creates certain exemptions for “organized sporting events” according to City Manager Vince Pastue. The City Council is scheduled to vote on the new ordinance on August 20th.

To learn more about the story, or to review the proposed ordinance, check out Joni Hubred-Golden’s July 16 online article in Farmington-Farmington Hills Patch. Concerned community members should share their views with city officials before the August 20 meeting.