(Haipo) – A comprehensive amendment to the municipal bylaw for noise prevention is expected to expand enforcement powers in the city of Haifa. Among the changes: an explicit ban on unreasonable noise from motor vehicles, restrictions on the use of leaf blowers, changes to rest hours and the imposition of fines on violators of the law. At the same time, exceptions will be expanded for events and holidays of all communities in the city.
The Haifa City Council approved (Tuesday, 2/6/26) a comprehensive amendment to the municipal bylaw for noise prevention, with the aim of dealing with noise hazards that harm residents' quality of life and adapting the municipal law to updated national directives. The amendment includes a series of significant changes regarding noise from vehicles, rest hours, use of leaf blowers, and expanding the municipality's enforcement powers.
One of the key innovations is the addition of a clause prohibiting the making of "unreasonable noise" from a motor vehicle, including loud music, unnecessary use of horns, or any other noise that exceeds what is required for the proper operation of the vehicle. In addition, it was determined that the vehicle owner will be considered liable for the offense unless he proves who was driving the vehicle at the time of the offense or to whom possession of it was transferred.
In the explanatory notes to the bill, the municipality notes that this is a growing phenomenon that is detrimental to public order and the quality of life of residents. It also states that the move will allow the use of advanced digital enforcement measures, as promoted by the Ministry of Environmental Protection, and thus strengthen the ability to supervise and enforce against noise hazards from vehicles.
Quiet hours will be extended.
The amendment proposes to expand the hours of prohibition on performing various works and noise. Thus, nighttime rest hours will be updated from 23:00 PM to 07:00 AM, instead of the existing arrangement. In addition, work that causes noise will be restricted in the evening hours and on the evenings of rest days.
Unloading and loading operations in residential areas will also be prohibited between 22:00 PM and 06:00 AM and on rest days, with the exception of work performed by municipality employees as part of their duties.
Leaf blowers – only during specified hours
Another issue regulated in the amendment is the use of leaf blowers. While previously the use of noisy blowers was prohibited in residential areas, the municipality is seeking to allow the use of electric leaf blowers only and during specified hours: between 08:30 and 14:00 on weekdays, and in public areas also between 16:00 and 19:00.
The explanatory notes state that technological developments in the field have led to the entry of quieter blowers into the market, and therefore the municipality seeks to balance the needs of cleaning and sanitation with the prevention of noise nuisance for residents.
Recognition of Haifa's multicultural fabric
Along with tightening enforcement, the municipality is seeking to expand the list of dates and events where exceptions to the noise regulations will be allowed. The list of exceptions will include Mimouna Night, Christmas, New Year's Eve, the Procession of the Virgin Mary, Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. In addition, the mayor will be authorized to determine up to six additional public events each year where exceptions to the restrictions will be allowed.
The municipality explains that this is in accordance with the pluralistic and multicultural nature of Haifa and the desire to provide equal expression to the various traditions and communities operating in the city.
Fines of hundreds of shekels
In parallel with the amendment to the bylaw, the municipality also seeks to update the Municipal Ordinance (Fine Offenses), so that offenses of unreasonable noise from a vehicle and prohibited use of a leaf blower will be enforced through administrative fines. According to the proposal, the fine will be NIS 475 for each offense.
The municipality believes that the possibility of imposing fines immediately will allow for more effective enforcement and create a significant deterrent against lawbreakers, instead of relying solely on lengthy legal proceedings.
After approval, the changes are expected to come into effect within 30 days of their publication in Reshumot, and provide the municipality with new tools to deal with one of the most disturbing issues for Haifa residents: noise in public spaces and residential neighborhoods.
The municipality's hotline 106 does nothing about unreasonable noise during off hours, for example 2-4 on Fridays. They were 'told' that it was allowed: for example, pruning with a noisy engine with a strong smell of gasoline. The inspectors (the representative at the hotline spoke to three!) don't know anything. As far as they are concerned, noise is okay. After my nagging, they said the inspector would visit the place...
🙏"Congratulations" to the "Haifa Municipality" for making the unequivocal decision: "Maintaining public order" by preventing unnecessary negative "noise pollution", for the "welfare of the residents" and constant improvement, as requested/required for the best "quality of life" in our city: ✨️"Beautiful Haifa"😭😭😭😭😭
As far as is known, Israeli law prohibits the use of a blower that only pollutes. Instead of sucking, it disperses and pollutes the air for hours.
This is exactly what it has always been… There is no change here. And certainly no extension of quiet hours.
Liars as usual
Haha, no blower, but renovation work is. What about the announcement from inside the bus at the stops at night and early in the morning?
Nothing has changed!
What about the noise from city council meetings? An inspector or police officer called to a noise incident tries in every way to prevent a report from being written.
What about Arab rock music at Palmer Gate, until when?
Does this include the muezzin calls and the loudspeaker celebrations?
Haifa's town is simply a disgrace.
Yes, we've already heard about the Haifa Municipality and the Israel Police regarding noise pollution, they do nothing and eat nothing for free. Only on Sunday, two girls from the sector threw fireworks for two hours on Arlozorov Street. Twice, a police car that was ordered passed by and they did nothing and drove away as if they hadn't seen anything.
I hope you will turn down the speakers and disco music at the David Yellin School on 4 Yair Katz Street in Haifa.
Hahaha
You in the Haifa Municipality chose to take the easy way out and not deal with the real noise problems, such as loud construction noise in crowded neighborhoods, noise nuisances in residents' homes 24/7, and all the time dog parks and community gardens that have become noise nuisances, dogs barking and defecating, tree pruning noises, and much of the unnecessary pruning that can now be done with quieter tools. I am sorry that the members of the City Council are ignoring the problems I mentioned.
Well done. Finally. A good start. It is necessary to examine over time whether the change in regulations will be accompanied by effective enforcement. It is also important to enforce the decibel level during the hours when it is permitted to play music, sirens, exhaust noise, etc. Noise pollution is a terrible nuisance that harms the quality of life on a daily basis.
So we need to open a factory in Haifa to produce flying cars if there is a problem with noise from the roads.
What is a flying car, I don't understand, if you have a hearing problem, then your answer is clear. Do you know what an improved car is? If not, then read, bikers who press the gas and there are explosions, sales? Countless honking for no reason, such as: a car behind you honking to remind you that the traffic light is about to change, or just wants to honk to attract attention on the road, or to inform friends/family that I've arrived so get out, and so on and so forth. There is no driving culture in Haifa and other places in the country and there is no reason for this.