The Village of Alfred has many unique laws and ordinances that new residents may not be familiar with.  The local laws are spirited to promote all residents to be good neighbors.  Below is a list of some of these laws and the penalty each carries.  For more information or a copy of the Village laws stop by the police department or the Village Clerk's office during normal business hours.
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Officer Frank, the embodiment of a law-abiding Alfred Hot Dog Day
  • Open Container - no person shall possess an open container of or consume an alcoholic beverage on any public lands within the Village and Town of Alfred - $50 minimum fine
  • "Cushy Furniture" and Outdoor Storage Law - the storage of upholstered furniture (not manufactured for outdoor use) in outside areas is prohibited.  Outside areas include rooftops, yards, unenclosed porches, decks, patios, and balconies visible from the street.  Storage of indoor items and construction materials in outdoor areas is prohibited. - $50 - $250 fine 
  • Fire Law - No person shall kindle or maintain an outdoor fire within the boundaries of the Village of Alfred unless it is an approved container (outdoor fireplace, metal or clay chimenea, manufactured metal fire pit with a mesh cover). - $50 to $250 fine.
  • Social Host - no person having control of any residence shall allow an open house party to take place at said residence if such person knows or has reason to know that any alcoholic beverage or drug is being unlawfully possessed, served to or consumed by a minor at said residence - $250 to $500 fine or 15 days imprisonment.
  • Rubbish Law - garbage cans shall not be placed at the curb or roadside prior to 3 pm the Monday preceding pickup. - empty containers shall be removed from curb or roadside no later than 12pm on the Wednesday following pickup - all garbage cans shall have the owners name, house number and apartment number painted on them. - $25 to $250 fine
  • Disturbing the peace - No person(s) shall: use obscene or abusive language or gesture in a public place -  congregate with other other persons in a public place and refuse to comply with a lawful order of the police to disperse - obstruct pedestrian or vehicular traffic - $150 to $500 fine.

  • Noise Mitigation Law 
  •             It is hereby declared to be the policy of the Village of Alfred to prevent excessive, unnecessary or unusually loud noise. It is further declared that the provisions and prohibitions hereinafter contained and enacted are in pursuance of and for the purpose of preserving, protecting and promoting the public health, comfort, convenience, safety, welfare and the peace and quiet of the Village of Alfred and its inhabitants. This law, by suppressing the making, creation or maintenance of excessive, unnecessary, unnatural or unusually loud noises which are prolonged, unusual and unnatural in their time, place and use and which are detrimental to the environment, enhance the peace and quiet of the community. It is also the purpose of this law to allow all residents of the Village to coexist harmoniously in a manner which is mutually respectful of the interests, rights and obligations of all persons. The community believes that it should rely on the good sense of all residents to respect one another's living and working environments and one another's right to an environment that is free from noise disturbances.
  •             The peace and tranquility of the village has sometimes been disrupted by excessive, disturbing, and offensive noises. The level of these noises adversely affects the health, comfort, convenience, safety, and welfare of persons within the village. All persons are entitled to an environment free of disturbing, excessive, or offensive noises that are detrimental to life, health or personal peace and tranquility. The purpose of this ordinance is to be construed liberally but is not intended to be construed so as to discourage the enjoyment of normal, reasonable and usual activities.
    SECTION TWO--DEFINITION 
  •            As used in the local law, the following terms shall have the meaning indicated:
    PERSON:
  •            Any individual, partnership, company, public or private corporation, association, firm, organization, political subdivision, governmental agency, administration or department, municipality, trust, state or any other legal entity whatsoever.
    SECTION THREE—PROHIBITED ACTS 
  • No person, acting with disregard for public inconvenience, annoyance, or alarm, or acting with reckless disregard to the effects on others, shall cause, suffer, allow, or permit the creation of
    unreasonable noise. For purposes of this law, unreasonable noise is any excessive, unnecessary, unnatural or unusually loud noise, which is prolonged, unusual and unnatural in its time, place and use.
  • 1. Unreasonable noise shall mean any sound created or caused to be created by any person which either annoys, disturbs, injures or endangers the comfort, repose, health, peace or safety of the public or which causes injury to animal life or damages to property or business. Factors to be considered in determining whether unreasonable noise exists in a given situation include but are not limited to any or all of the following:
  • A. The intensity of the noise.
  • B. Whether the origin of the noise is associated with nature or human-made activity.
  • C. The intensity of the background noise, if any.
  • D. The proximity of the noise to sleeping facilities.
  • E. The time of the day or night the noise occurs.
  • F.T he time duration of the noise.
  • G. The volume of the noise.
  • H. The existence of complaints concerning the noise from persons living or working in different places or premises who are affected by the noise. 
  • 2. The following acts are declared to be prime facie evidence of a violation of this ordinance. This enumeration is not to be deemed as exclusive.
  • A. Any unnecessary noise from any source between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. the following day Sunday through Thursday, or 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. Friday and Saturday.
  • B. Noise from a dog or other privately owned animal that continues with only minor interruptions for fifteen (15) minutes or more.
  • C. Noise from a burglar or other alarm system of any building or motor vehicle which continues with only minor interruptions for five (5) minutes or more.
  • D. The use of explosives, firearms or similar devices.
  • E. The operation of any sound reproduction device or audio equipment, including, but not limited to, such equipment in a parked or moving vehicle, or the use of any musical instrument or human voice in such a manner or with such volume as to annoy or disturb the quiet, comfort or repose of persons in a dwelling, hotel, or other type of residence.
  • F. The acts of unnecessary yelling, hollering, screaming, partying sounds or radio and recording sounds which are unreasonably loud, disturbing, unnecessary, beyond the property line of the source, between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. the following day Sunday through Thursday, or 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.
  • G. Noise from any sound reproduction system operating or similar device that reproduces or amplifies sound in such a manner as to be annoying to a reasonable person when heard from its source sixty (60) feet beyond any property line between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. the following day, Sunday through Thursday, or on Friday or Saturday between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. the following day.
  • H. Noise from public bars, restaurants, public party houses, or the like, so loud as to be annoying to a reasonable person when heard 60 feet from or beyond the property line of the establishment.
  • I. The erection, including excavation, demolition, alteration, or repair of any structure other than between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. except in case of an emergency public safety requirement.
  • J. The operation of a motor vehicle, motorcycle, lawn tractor or other gasoline or diesel engine that, due to modifications or through normal wear and tear, emits a sound greater than that emitted as originally manufactured.
  • K. The operation of power equipment such as tractors, mowers, power saws and similar noise-producing equipment in residential zones on weekdays between the hours of 10:0 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. the following day, and on weekends between 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 am., except in the case of an emergency public safety vehicle.
  • L . The sounding of any horn or signaling device of an automobile, motorcycle, or other vehicle for any unnecessary period of time. Except in the case of an emergency public safety vehicle.
  • M. The making of improper noise or disturbance or operating an automobile or motorcycle in such a manner as to cause excessive motor roar, or excessive squealing of the tires.
  • N. Shouting or other outcry or clamor upon the public streets or sidewalks for the purpose of selling or otherwise attracting attention.
  • 3.  Abatement of excessive noise
  • The Alfred Police Department is directed to take any reasonably necessary action to abate the noise created by unattended mechanical device such as an engine, alarm or the like when a person responsible for the device or a person who can silence the device is not present and cannot be contacted in a reasonably short time.
  • 4. Exceptions. The provisions of this law shall not apply to the following acts:
  • A. The emission of sound for the purpose of alerting persons to the existence of an emergency.
  • B. Noise from municipally sponsored celebrations or events.
  • C. Noise from individually sponsored special events where a permit for the event has been obtained from the Village Clerk, after having been agreed to by the Village Board
    1. Written request/application must be received by the clerk to present at the subsequent Village Board meeting.
    2. When authorized by the Village Board, the Village Clerk is empowered to issue a permit for a wedding reception or similar event to be held outdoors or in a tent with music provided by a band, orchestra or sound reproduction equipment, provided that the sound levels are not annoying to a reasonable person when heard at a distance of 500 feet from its source and provided that the event does not continue beyond 10:00 pm and is limited to a maximum duration of four hours.
    3. The date and intended hours of the event shall be furnished to the Village Clerk at the time of application for permit and shall be listed on the permit.
  •       4.Other reasonable conditions which conform to the intent and purposes of this section may be imposed                    upon   the issuance of such permits which are not authorized more frequently than once in any six-month              period for the same property.
  •         5. The Village Board reserves the right to limit the number and frequency of permits granted in any                            geographic area of the Village of Alfred.
  •          6. A copy of each permit along with the conditions limiting such permit will be provided to the Village                     Police Department.
  • D. The operation or use of any organ, radio, bell, chimes or the like by any church, synagogue or school licensed or chartered by the State of New York, provided that such operation or use does not occur between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.
  • E. Noise generated by the installation and maintenance of utilities and emergency and public service equipment.
  • F.  Music in connection with a military or civic parade, funeral procession or religious service authorized by the village board.
  • G. Authorized sporting events, beginning one-half hour before and ending fifteen minutes after the event, as long as use does not occur between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 8:00a.m. This exception does not apply to set-up or warm-up times related to sporting events or practices.
  •  SECTION FOUR -- PENALTIES 
    A violation of this local law shall be punishable by a fine of not less than one hundred fifty (150) nor more than five hundred (500) dollars.
     Repeated violations in a given six-month period shall be fined no more than five hundred (500) dollars.
     Date of Becoming Law 
    This law becomes effective when filed with the Secretary of State of New York State.
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Parking

  • Money is required in the parking System weekdays, 9am - 11am & 1pm - 5pm. Money is not required weekdays 11am - 1pm, Sat & Sun, and holidays.  Meter violations - $20 fine
  • No parking on the front or side lawn of any residence with in the B1, B2, R2, R3 zoning districts- $20 fine                                                Visit: http://www.alfredny.org/zcode.html to view zone boundaries
  • No parking on Village streets from 2am - 6am, Nov 1 thru May 1 - $20 fine
  • Parking in a private parking lot - $30 fine

Skateboards, Inline Skates, Bicycles

  • No/inadequate lights and/or reflectors on bicycle (NYS vehicle & traffic law)
  • Skating at night without reflective clothing (NYS vehicle & traffic law)
  • Failure for bicycles & inline skates to use bicycle lane/keep right (NYS vehicle & traffic law)
  • Disturbing the Peace - No person(s) obstruct vehicular traffic - fine $150 to $500
​How to take care of a Bat problem.