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The Problem

A lot surrounded by homes. An industrial yard working through the night.

This is what is happening at 650 Atlantic Street, drawn from city records and from what neighbors see and hear.

What's there now

The lot between Atlantic Street and Garden Street is surrounded on three sides by homes. Families. Kids. People who chose this neighborhood because it is a neighborhood.

United Civil, a contractor building underground power lines for Eversource, now uses the lot as a laydown yard. City records describe it as a place to "grab/transport materials to and from" its work on Vine Road and High Ridge Road.

Heavy trucks arrive and leave. Excavators and loaders move bedding and backfill. Neighbors hear scraping, materials being dropped, tailgates slamming, backup alarms and the low rumble of idling diesel engines. They smell the exhaust.

The noise, in decibels

Residents have measured the noise from their own homes.
  1. 40 dBWHO nighttime guidelineWorld Health Organization, outdoor at night
  2. 45 dBLegal nighttime limitStamford Chapter 164, residential
  3. 84 dBDump truckAs declared by the operator on its waiver application
  4. 85 dBExcavatorAs declared by the operator on its waiver application
  5. 100 dBPeak measured by a residentDecibel X phone app, at a child’s bedroom window
Resident readings were taken with the Decibel X smartphone app and are not certified measurements. Standard dB(A) readings also understate low-frequency engine rumble, which residents feel through walls and floors.

A resident recorded a 100 dB peak at a child's bedroom window. That is 55 dB above the legal nighttime limit and 60 dB above the WHO guideline.

The impact noises come and go. They are not continuous. But in the middle of the night, one is enough to wake the whole block.

The operator's own waiver applications list its excavator at 85 dB and its dump truck at 84 dB, for 9 to 10 hours a night.

What this is doing to people

Neighbors report they no longer sleep through the night. Children wake up in the early hours. Parents who start work at 6 AM lie awake listening to trucks. Families keep windows shut against the exhaust.

The World Health Organization recommends keeping outdoor noise at night below 40 dB to protect health and sleep.

"My children stay awake with me the whole time, begging me to go outside and ask the workers to let them sleep."
From a neighborhood petition submitted to the city, translated from Spanish

How this was allowed to happen

Overnight work is possible because of temporary noise waivers issued by the Stamford Department of Health & Human Services and signed by its Director, Jody Bishop-Pullan.

Whether to grant a waiver is at the Director's discretion. She has confirmed this to a resident in person.

In May, United Civil's project manager told a city inspector he did not expect to need the yard at night until Winter 2026 or early Spring 2027. Three months later, new overnight waivers were approved, then extended through December 6.

The record so far

Every entry below comes from city records released through a Freedom of Information request.

  1. Jan 14, 2026

    First recorded complaint

    A resident reports construction noise starting at or before 5:30 AM on weekdays and Saturdays, with machinery, sirens and metal.

    Source: City request #70789

  2. Feb 13, 2026

    Health inspector visits the yard

    A tractor is idling in the yard. The inspector tells the contractors the noise and emissions from the idling vehicle are a nuisance. Eversource says the city has asked for some night work, and is told to apply for a waiver first.

    Source: Health Dept. case #1105621

  3. Apr 30, 2026

    Complaint: round-the-clock noise

    A resident reports noise around the clock, mainly overnight, for hours at a time.

    Source: City request #77513

  4. May 13, 2026

    Complaint: no sleep for a month

    A resident reports being unable to sleep for a month because of work every night from 10 PM until 4 or 5 AM.

    Source: City request #78068

  5. May 14, 2026

    Earlier overnight waiver expires

    According to United Civil’s project manager, a waiver covering about three weeks of night work expires.

    Source: Health Dept. case notes, May 29

  6. May 29, 2026

    Inspector records "a significant amount of noise"

    United Civil’s project manager says he does not expect state-road work until Winter 2026 or early Spring 2027, "so they may not need to access the storage facility during the night hours."

    Source: Health Dept. case #1112741

  7. [To confirm: date]

    Neighbors deliver a petition

    Residents of Atlantic, Garden and Henry Streets sign a petition in English and Spanish asking the city to stop the overnight work.

    Source: Included in FOIA response

  8. Aug 27, 2026

    New waiver application submitted

    United Civil applies for waiver NW-26-99 to use the yard overnight for work on Vine Road. It lists an excavator at 85 dB and a dump truck at 84 dB.

    Source: Waiver NW-26-99

  9. Aug 31 – Sep 14, 2026

    Waiver NW-26-99 in effect

    Approved by Director Bishop-Pullan for 8 PM to 6 AM on nine nights.

    Source: Waiver NW-26-99

  10. Sep 14, 2026

    Waiver NW-26-101 begins

    Approved by Director Bishop-Pullan for 8 PM to 5 AM, to support work on High Ridge Road.

    Source: Waiver NW-26-101

  11. Sep 28, 2026

    Another complaint filed

    Residents continue to report overnight noise from the yard.

    Source: FOIA response

  12. Sep 30, 2026

    FOIA records released

    The Health Department releases complaint records, case notes and the waivers in response to a resident’s Freedom of Information request.

  13. Through Dec 6, 2026

    Waiver NW-26-101 extended

    Extensions add about 50 more approved overnight dates, including some Sundays, through December 6, 2026.

    Source: Waiver NW-26-101 extensions

The waivers can be appealed. Help us do it.

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