A Guide for Commuters

Music and general noise should be maintained at reasonable levels and in accordance with relevant laws and ordinances. Music should be directed toward the interior of the residence.

Students should remind visitors to exercise common courtesy when visiting, to refrain from excessive shouting between the street and the house, and to limit vehicle noise whenever possible.

Students are expected to observe all city ordinances and exercise courtesy and common sense. Students and their visitors should not obstruct the street or private driveways or park on someone else’s property without permission. For students’ own safety, as well as that of their neighbors, students must abide by all traffic laws and drive responsibly.

Students and their guests shall respect the property of their landlord, host, and neighbors. They are to refrain from the destruction, defacing, or littering of property.

Students should not engage in verbal harassment, profanity, and fighting words directed toward others. Rather, when the potential for conflict develops, students are encouraged to seek assistance from University personnel for guidance.

Physical assault and confrontational behavior are unacceptable. If a volatile situation occurs, students are expected to walk away until the concerns can be appropriately addressed. Additionally, students can seek assistance from the Department of Public Safety and/or Springfield Police.

The use of alcoholic beverages should be in accordance with all state and local laws. If you host individuals who have consumed alcohol, there is a Social Host Liability. Social host liability is created by a statute or case law that imposes liability on social hosts as a result of their serving alcohol to adults or minors. A social host is an individual who serves alcohol in a non-commercial setting. Persons subject to social-host liability in civil actions are typically those that provided alcohol to the obviously intoxicated social guests who subsequently are involved in vehicle crashes or other activities or to minors who are injured as a result of intoxication.

When entertaining guests, students must understand that, in addition to the Conduct Review Process, students may also be subject to civil and criminal liability if their guests act irresponsibly. As a social host, a student assumes significant risks associated with state and local laws regulating drinking age, noise, and public safety when the student hosts a party. Court decisions have found the social host to be liable for personal injury and property damage caused to third parties as a result of the irresponsible service of alcohol to guests. This liability is compounded when minors are involved.

Mass. General Laws c.272 § 53: Disorderly Conduct

Disorderly persons and disturbers of the peace shall, for a first offense, be punished by a fine of not more than $150. For a second or subsequent offense, disorderly persons and disturbers of the peace shall be punished by imprisonment in a jail or house of correction for not more than 6 months or by a fine of not more than $200 or by both such fine and imprisonment; provided, however, that an elementary or secondary school student shall not be adjudged a delinquent child for a violation of this subsection for such conduct within school buildings or on school grounds or in the course of school-related events.

Chapter § 259-1: Noise

Except where otherwise indicated by the context, the following definitions shall apply in the interpretation and enforcement of this chapter:

Amplification Device
The words "loud amplification device" shall mean a radio, television, phonograph, stereo, record player, tape player, cassette player, compact disc player, loudspeaker, sound amplifier, or similar device which is operated in such a manner that it creates an unreasonable noise.

Emergency Situation
A situation wherein immediate work is necessary to restore property to a safe condition following a public calamity, natural disaster, snow emergency, or where immediate work is required to protect persons or property from imminent exposure to danger.

Unreasonable Noise
Any noise plainly audible at a distance of 100 feet; and in the case of an amplification device, the words "unreasonable noise" shall mean any noise plainly audible at a distance of 50 feet.

Disturbing Residential Areas
Unless otherwise authorized, it shall be unlawful for any person or persons within the City of Springfield to cause or allow to be made any unreasonable noise, as defined above, within areas zoned residential within the City.

Chapter 138 Section 34: Sale, delivery, or furnishing alcoholic beverages to persons under twenty-one 

No person shall receive a license or permit under this chapter who is under 21 years of age. Whoever makes a sale or delivery of any alcoholic beverage or alcohol to any person under 21 years of age, either for his own use or for the use of his parent or any other person, or whoever, being a patron of an establishment licensed under section 12 or 15, delivers or procures to be delivered in any public room or area of such establishment if licensed under section 12, 15, 19B, 19C or 19D or in any area of such establishment if licensed under said section 15, 19B, 19C or 19D any such beverages or alcohol to or for use by a person who he knows or has reason to believe is under 21 years of age or whoever procures any such beverage or alcohol for a person under 21 years of age in any establishment licensed under section 12 or procures any such beverage or alcohol for a person under 21 years of age who is not his child, ward or spouse in any establishment licensed under said section 15, 19B, 19C or 19D or whoever furnishes any such beverage or alcohol for a person under 21 years of age shall be punished by a fine of not more than $2,000 or by imprisonment for not more than one year or both. For the purpose of this section the word ''furnish'' shall mean to knowingly or intentionally supply, give, or provide to or allow a person under 21 years of age except for the children and grandchildren of the person being charged to possess alcoholic beverages on premises or property owned or controlled by the person charged. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit any person licensed under this chapter from employing any person 18 years of age or older for the direct handling or selling of alcoholic beverages or alcohol.

Notwithstanding the provisions of clause (14) of section 62 of chapter 149, a licensee under this chapter may employ a person under the age of 18 who does not directly handle, sell, mix or serve alcohol or alcoholic beverages.

Chapter 94G Section 7: Personal use of marijuana

(a) Notwithstanding any other general or special law to the contrary, except as otherwise provided in this chapter, a person 21 years of age or older shall not be arrested, prosecuted, penalized, sanctioned or disqualified under the laws of the commonwealth in any manner, or denied any right or privilege and shall not be subject to seizure or forfeiture of assets for:

(1) possessing, using, purchasing, processing, or manufacturing 1 ounce or less of marijuana, except that not more than 5 grams of marijuana may be in the form of marijuana concentrate;

(2) within the person's primary residence, possessing up to 10 ounces of marijuana and any marijuana produced by marijuana plants cultivated on the premises and possessing, cultivating or processing not more than 6 marijuana plants for personal use so long as not more than 12 plants are cultivated on the premises at once;

(3) assisting another person who is 21 years of age or older in any of the acts described in this section; or

(4) giving away or otherwise transferring without remuneration up to 1 ounce of marijuana, except that not more than 5 grams of marijuana may be in the form of marijuana concentrate, to a person 21 years of age or older, as long as the transfer is not advertised or promoted to the public.

The Springfield Police Good Neighbor Handbook has additional information.