Neighbors say Wal-Mart is too noisy

Wal-Mart says it's tried to keep quiet but residents near the Carson City store say it is too loud too early and the city should do something about it.

The city planning commission will look at the issue that has come out of complaints officials have received since January about noise from trucks and machines. The city has hosted four meetings between the store and residents during that time.

Wal-Mart Store Manager Scott Yoder said the store wants to be a "good neighbor" and has made changes to deal with the noise. The store has posted a special attendant, installed cameras to watch out for problems and moved back its receiving time for trucks in the morning, he has said.

The store has many trucks coming each day, however, and "it's a complex situation we're trying to deal with," he said.

The store did well June through October in keeping the noise down, according to the city planning division, which makes recommendations to the planning commission, but then the city started getting complaints again.

"Time after time the Wal-Mart delivery activities would function within the requirements, but then would fail due to one reason or another," according to a division report.

The division has received over 100 complaints about the noise, said Planning Director Walt Sullivan. He said he's looking to the commission to recommend what to do.

The store has a special city permit to operate, but that permit also limits what the store can do. Delivery and receiving hours at the loading dock, for instance, are restricted to 5:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Trucks can't idle at the back of the building. Machines such as trash compactors can only run between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. Trucks have to wait on the west side of the building for their shipments.

The commission could recommend several things, Sullivan said, such as modifying the store's special permit or holding a special hearing to look at the issue.

Though any store in a residential area will probably cause some friction, said John Peery, head of the planning commission, the complaints have come from many people who are concerned about the early-morning noise.

He said there has to be "give and take" between the store and residents, but "it would help a lot if they (Wal-Mart) just followed the guidelines."

• Contact reporter Dave Frank at dfrank@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1212.

If you go

WHAT: Carson City Planning Commission

WHERE: The Sierra Room in the Community Center, 851 E. William St.

WHEN: 3:30 p.m. Wednesday