TOWN ORDINANCE
CHAPTER X
GENERAL ADMINISTRATION
ARTICLE A
DISORDERLY CONDUCT
PUBLIC NUISANCE
SECTION 1. GENERAL. No occupant of any house whether residence or business shall permit same to be kept in an indecent and offensive or disorderly manner or permit loafers or idle persons to congregate therein or in front of same to the annoyance of persons passing by or living in the vicinity.
SECTION 2. VAGRANTS. Any and all tramps, vagrants, persons under suspicion, who shall be found with no visible means of support, either male or female, shall not be allowed on the streets or other public places.
SECTION 3. HOUSE OF ILL FAME. No person shall keep a house or other place of ill fame in the Town and no person shall knowingly rent any house to be used as a house of ill fame. All adult persons living in such house shall be considered as keepers thereof and be subject to the penalties of this code.
SECTION 4. PROFANITY AND BOISTEROUS CONDUCT. It shall be unlawful for any person to use loud and boisterous language so as to become a nuisance or use any form of profanity or indecent language on the street or in a gathering or expose themselves within the corporate limits.
SECTION 5. PUBLIC DRUNKENNESS. It shall be unlawful for any intoxicated person to be on or upon any public street or other public place.
SECTION 6. DRINKING IN PUBLIC. No person shall consume, serve, or drink wine, beer, whiskey, or alcoholic beverages of any kind on the public streets, boulevards, alleys, or in public buildings.
ARTICLE B
GENERAL NUISANCE
SECTION 1. UNLAWFUL TO CREATE AND ASSIST IN CREATING LOUD NOISES. It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation to create or assist in creating, permit, continue, or permit the continuance of any unreasonably loud, disturbing and unnecessary noise in the Town of Denton; noise of such character, intensity and duration as to be detrimental to the life or health of any individual is prohibited.
SECTION 2. NOISE EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED. The following acts, among others, are declared to be loud, disturbing and unnecessary noises in violation of this section, but said enumeration shall not be deemed to be exclusive, namely:
(a) The sounding of any horn or signal device on any device on any automobile, motorcycle, bus or other vehicle while not in motion, except as a danger signal if another vehicle is approaching apparently out of control, or if in motion, only as a danger signal after or as brakes are being applied and deceleration of the vehicle is intended; the creation by means of any such signal device of any unreasonably loud or harsh sound; and the sounding of such device for an unnecessary and unreasonable period of time.
(b) The use of any gong or siren upon any vehicle, other than police, fire, or other emergency vehicle.
(c) The use or operation of any piano, manual or automatic, phonograph, radio, loud speaker, or any other instrument, or sound amplifying devices so loudly as to disturb persons in the vicinity thereof, or in such a manner as renders the same public nuisance provided, however, that upon application to Mayor, permits may be granted to responsible organizations to produce programs in music, speeches or general entertainment.
(d) The keeping of any animal or bird which by causing frequent or long continued noise shall disturb the comfort and repose of any person in the vicinity.
(e) The use of any automobile, motorcycle or other vehicle so out of repair, so loaded, or in such manner as to create loud or unnecessary grating, grinding, rattling, or other noise.
(f) The blowing of any steam whistle attached to any stationary boiler except to give notice of the time to begin or stop work or as a warning of danger.
(g) The discharge into the open air of the exhaust of any steam engine, stationary internal combustion engine, motor vehicle except through a muffler or other device which will effectively prevent loud or explosive noises therefrom.
(h) The use of any mechanical device operated by compressed air unless the noise created thereby is effectively muffled and reduced.
(i) The erection (including excavation), demolition, alteration, or repair of any building in a residential or business district other than between the hours of 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. on weekdays, except in the case of urgent necessity which permit may be renewed for a period of three days or less while the emergency continues.
(j) The creation of excessive noise on any street adjacent to any school, institution of learning, or court while while the same are in session, or within one hundred and fifty (150) feet of any hospital, which unreasonably interferes with the working of such institution, provided, conspicuous signs are displayed in such streets indicating that the same is a school, court, or hospital street.
(k) The creation of any excessive noise on Sundays on any street adjacent to any church, provided, conspicuous signs are displayed in such streets adjacent to churches indicating that the same is a church street.
(l) The creation of loud and excessive noise in connection with loading or unloading any vehicle, of the opening and destruction of bales, boxes, crates, and containers.
(m) The sounding of any bell or gong attached to any building or premises which disturbs the quiet or repose of persons in the vicinity thereof.
(n) The shouting and crying of peddlers, barkers, hawkers, and vendors which disturbs the quiet and peace of the neighborhood.
(o) The use of any drum, loudspeaker, or other instrument or device for the purpose of attracting attention by creation of noise to any performance, show, or sale or display of merchandise.
(p) The use of any mechanical loud speakers or amplifiers on trucks or other moving vehicles for advertising purposes or other purposes except where specific license is received from the Board of Commissioners.
(q) The conducting, operating, or maintaining of any garage or filling station in any residential district so as to cause loud or offensive noises to be emitted therefrom between the hours of 11 p.m. and 7 a.m.
(r) The firing or discharging of squibs, crackers, gunpowder, or other combustible substance in the streets or elsewhere for the purpose of making noise or disturbance except by permit from the Board of Commissioners.
SECTION 3. FIREARMS REGULATED. It shall be unlawful for any person to discharge any firearm of any type within the corporate limits except a peace officer in the performance of his duty.
SECTION 4. POSTING BILLS - OTHER ADVERTISING. No person, shall stick, paint, brand, stamp, write, or put upon any house, fence, wall, pavement, post, or upon any property, owned by any person, firm, or corporation or owned by the Town of Denton any printed, written, painted, or other advertisement, bill, notice, sign, or poster, without first having obtained the written permission of the owner of such property and having received a permit from the Town Clerk.
SECTION 5. POOL ROOMS. No person or owner of any pool room or billiard room shall allow any person under 16 years of age to play at games or to loiter in public pool rooms in the town of Denton.
SECTION 6. OPERATION AND CONDUCT OF BUSINESS BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 12:00 MIDNIGHT AND 5:00 A.M. PROHIBITED. The operation and conduct of any business included within the provisions of this ordinance during the hours between twelve o’clock midnight and 5:00 a.m. is hereby declared to be a public nuisance within the corporate limits of the Town of Denton.
SECTION 7. BUSINESS EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED TO OPERATE BETWEEN STATED HOURS. It shall be unlawful for any proprietor, manager, or owner of any of the businesses included within the provisions of this section to allow, suffer, or permit such business to be operated and conducted between the hours of twelve o’clock midnight and 5:00 a.m. on each and every day of the week. This section shall apply to all businesses meeting the description below whether specifically enumerated or not:
(a) Billiard parlor, pool room, skating rink, shooting gallery, dance hall, bowling alley, or other similar device.
SECTION 8. PENALTY. Any person, firm, or corporation violating the provisions of this ordinance shall upon conviction be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished in accordance with provisions of Section 14.4 of the General Statutes of North Carolina.
ARTICLE C
ANIMALS
SECTION 1. ANIMALS AT LARGE. No horse, goat, cattle or other animals, except dogs, shall be permitted to run at large within the Town limits. All animals caught running at large shall be impounded by the police and unless claimed within four days shall be disposed of as the Town shall deem best.
SECTION 2. DOGS.
(a) The owner or custodians of any dog over the age of three months shall on or before the first day of July, each year register such dog with the Town Clerk. No dog shall be registered unless there is first exhibited to said Clerk a certificate of a practicing veterinarian of North Carolina to the effect that said dog has been vaccinated against rabies within three months prior to the date of application for registration. The registration fee shall be $1.00 for a male dog, and $2.00 for a female dog. The Clerk shall issue to the owner or custodian of such registered dog a tag to be affixed to a collar around the neck of such dog and displayed visibly upon such dog at all times.
(b) All dogs not displaying such tag shall be impounded by the Davidson County Dog Warden.
(c) No owner or custodian of any bitch shall allow such bitch to run at large while in heat, within the town limits. It shall be the duty of the Chief of police to kill any bitch the owner of which cannot be found within four days after any such dog has been impounded.
SECTION 3. HOG PENS. No person shall be permitted to keep or maintain any hog pen, or keep any hogs within the corporate limits.
SECTION 4. PIG PENS. No person shall maintain a pig pen or other enclosure for pigs within one hundred and fifty feet of any dwelling house or room used for sleeping quarters.