The request for a reduction in work hours came from several Cashiers area residents who are tired of the dirt moving, hammering and sawing coming from home sites around the community.

Currently the county's noise ordinance allows construction to take place from 6 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. seven days a week. While builders aren't making maximum use of these hours, the noise is already too much, and will only continue to grow as development continues, said Stillmont community resident Marti Senterfit.

These are very quiet residential areas, Senterfit told county commissioners.

Senterfit collected signatures from more than 150 area residents, calling for a reduction in hours to 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays, with no work done on weekends or holidays.

In 2003, Highlands Town Administrator Richard Betz brought similar concerns to the attention of the town board after receiving several complaints about noise from area residents. The town already had a noise ordinance that limits the erection, including excavation, demolition, alteration or repair of any building other than between the hours of 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays. Excessive noise also is prohibited on Sundays on any street adjacent to a church.

The Highlands Planning Board recommended loosening the ordinance to permit weekend work, but the council voted against that, instead choosing to keep the ordinance in its original state, Betz said. Construction that does not involve noise, such as plumbing or painting, is still allowed.

In an effort to secure similar restrictions for Jackson County the noise ordinance pertains to the county as a whole, not just Cashiers Senterfit encouraged residents to appear at the county commissioners meeting to speak out. No one else spoke at the sparsely attended meeting.

The lack of vocal support for the movement may have contributed to commissioners' split vote decision not to refer the matter to the planning board.

I am not in favor of asking the planning board to look at this, said commissione chairman Brian McMahan.

A builder by trade, Commissioner Eddie Madden said that while he is sensitive to residents' concerns, he had to agree with McMahan and Crawford.

I don't want to be a part of anything that would prevent a local man from working, Madden said.

In the end, commissioners voted down Burrell's motion to refer the matter to the planning board by 3 2 Ñ with Crawford, Madden and McMahan against, Burrell and commissioner Joe Cowan for.