Their concerns center around noise and other impacts from ongoing work at the Linden Ponds retirement complex and Black Rock Golf Community.

Representatives from both projects are working with neighbors and the board of health to resolve a number of construction-related issues. Other concerns include potential property damage from blasting and loss of property values.

"Noise is medically defined as 'acute stress,'" Plymouth River Road resident Kathleen Murray told the selectmen. "Numerous clinical studies link loud noise to hearing loss, poor concentration, and sleep deprivation, which in turn can lead to fatigue, irritability, depression, and decreased job and school performance." Murray addressed similar issues with the board more than a year ago.

"Noise has been used as a form of torture for thousands of years, and I am not being dramatic when I say that going into year number two of this noise is torture," Murray said. Another neighbor called the noise "unbearable."

"There's also the feeling of being gypped paying high taxes on property you really can't enjoy 50 hours a week," added Murray.

Selectmen chairman Mathew MacIver said Murray's comments are "well-taken. The board is familiar with noise issues, including those associated with [Logan Airport]," he said.

Scott Hayward of Erickson Retirement Communities, the developer of Linden Ponds, said that Erickson "is very concerned about negative impacts to abutters. We want to know if we're in violation of noise standards. There are a number of mitigation measures we can take."

Building commissioner Richard Morgan, who has received many calls from neighbors, said he follows up when concerns are voiced. "We've been monitoring the situation with the Hingham Police with regard to noise complaints," he said.

Noise from nearby Boston Golf is also part of the problem. "In hindsight, permitting three contiguous large projects to build simultaneously was probably not a good idea," Murray said.

In the hopes of alleviating these types of issues, a group of neighbors signed a citizens petition, submitted by Murray to the selectmen, asking that the issue of construction noise mitigation be placed on next year's Town Meeting warrant. The goal is to have noise issues addressed before future building permits are issued.

"Even the smallest projects bring with them loud air compressors for nail guns, generators, saws, and increased truck traffic," Murray said.

While sympathetic to their concerns, MacIver noted that "denying permits on the basis of simultaneous construction is not defensible. The permits don't go through the selectmen, but we could pay attention in a non-regulatory sense."

Morgan suggested working with the zoning board of appeals to resolve these types of issues before future decisions about large projects are made. "Currently noise regulations come from the state. Our local bylaws could use some updating, because they don't speak to noise issues," he said.

Linden Ponds is now in the second phase of heavy equipment site work, which will continue for four to six more weeks, according to Hayward. Phase three begins a year from this fall.

"I think some lessons can be learned from this situation for the next phase," said selectman Melissa Tully.

By Carol Britton Meyer