The sounds of cryptocurrency and roosters

People living near the cryptocurrency mining building on Coulee Boulevard in Electric City might have a point when they complain about the noise. 

Decibel meter readings performed by the city seem to justify the claim made in multiple complaints that the noise from exhaust fans on top of the building is too loud.

The building manager’s own readings are lower, however, although he says he’ll do what’s necessary to keep the city happy. 

People have reported having difficulty sleeping because of the noise, Mayor Diane Kohout told The Star previously. 

At Electric City’s Nov. 9 council meeting, Code Enforcement Officer Mike Shear presented his findings after using a decibel reader to measure the noise level at various locations near the building, both in the daytime and at night.

City code puts a 65-decibel noise limit in commercial zones. That reduces down to 55 between the hours of 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. for commercial properties adjacent to residential zones.

In residential zones, the limit is 60 decibels, dropping to 50 between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. 

Shear reported readings as high as 80 close to the building, and around 60 on nearby Kent Avenue, which borders the building to the side, and 55 decibels on Kelso Avenue on the other side of residences behind the building. 

He also noted that a more expensive decibel reader might record higher numbers than the one he was using. 

“The people living there have a valid point,” he told the council. “It’s noisy.” 

Shear said that he spoke to Brad Long of MKH Electric City Holdings, which owns and manages the building and rents it to people who want to mine cryptocurrencies. That creates a lot of heat from the specialized computers that do the work, which is pumped out through roof fans.

Long told Shear that they are going to insulate the building. 

Long confirmed this to The Star over the phone on Tuesday and said that they would do what it takes to keep the city happy. 

He said his own decibel meter shows a reading of 68 inside the building, and lower outside, and that when a car or truck drives by on the nearby highway it jumps to around 85 decibels.

City Clerk Peggy Nevsimal told The Star that they were looking at other noise codes from Washington state, as well as for direction from the Environmental Protection Agency regarding how long certain noise levels should be sustained. 

Cock-a-doodle-doo

Another noise-related issue was brought up earlier in the meeting when Hillcrest Avenue resident Melissa Robison expressed wanting roosters to be allowed within the city, saying the roosters help keep the hens calm, reducing their stress, and leading to higher egg production and higher quality eggs. 

A post on backyardchickens.com had the anecdotal evidence of someone using a decibel meter four feet from their rooster recording the rooster’s crow at 98.5 decibels.

That person reported being able to “easily” hear the rooster from their house, 150 feet away, with their windows closed. 

An article on science.org describes an average reading of 130 decibels from a device strapped to the heads of three roosters’ heads, comparable to standing 15 meters away from a jet taking off.

Asked how she would deal with noise complaints, Robison said that she has a henhouse personally, and also said that rooster crows are comparable in volume to dogs barking. 

Citiquiet.com, among other sources, reports a barking dog to be about 100 decibels, which is certainly comparable to the rooster numbers. 

City code allows noise limits to be exceeded for limited amounts of time, allowing for an excess of five decibels for up to 15 minutes within an hour, an excess of 10 decibels for up to five minutes within an hour, and an excess of 15 decibels for up to 1.5 minutes within an hour. 

The city code allows for six hens but no roosters. 

Wanting the city to consider allowing roosters, Kohout said her comments would be taken under consideration.