Boone Town Council to vote on noise ordinance Tuesday
by Anna Oakes
Exactly seven months after the Boone Town Council enacted controversial changes to Boone's noise ordinance, prompting months of revisions, meetings and public hearings, the council will consider approval of the latest draft Tuesday, Feb. 21.
Since a public hearing on the draft last month, Boone Town Council members have been bombarded with emails, phone calls and Facebook messages on the controversial topic.
“We've heard it loud and clear,” said council member Jamie Leigh. “I think we just need to make some good decisions about it.”
At issue are proposed decibel limits for late-night live music performances at commercial establishments.
The draft ordinance proposes that sound emanating from such events, measured at or within 10 feet of the venue's property line, be restricted to 65 decibels from 10 p.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday evenings and to 55 decibels from midnight to 2 a.m. Saturday and Sunday mornings.
On weeknights, the standards would be 65 decibels until 11 p.m. and 55 decibels after that.
After four written warnings, subsequent violations of the ordinance would result in $100, $200 and $500 fines.
Opponents to the proposed standards are advocating for higher decibel levels for late-night concerts — 70 to 75 decibels until 2 a.m. on weeknights and 80 to 85 decibels until 2 a.m. on weekends.
An ad hoc group, Citizens for a Reasonable Noise Ordinance, has spent the past month gathering hundreds of signatures in support of a petition, expected to be presented to the council Tuesday.
Leigh said she has received a “ton” of correspondence related to the noise ordinance.
“Primarily we're hearing from the people who would like for the limits to be raised,” she said, though she also received some emails from neighborhood residents in favor of stronger noise regulations.
“I think we understand what the issues are,” she said, adding that now's the time to strike a compromise between business and neighborhood interests.
Council member Andy Ball said some 150 to 200 people have contacted him about the ordinance.
“I don't think I've gotten as much correspondence about any other issue,” said Ball, who has served two years on the council.
Ball said he is ready to make progress on the noise ordinance and will not support any further delays in action.
“I think we have a good draft,” he said. We need to adjust those (decibel) levels quite a bit,” he said.
Ball said he would like to see an ordinance enacted for a trial period that includes summer months, when High Country residents often leave their windows open at night.
Ball said he believed the council would accept further comments on the proposed noise ordinance during the 15-minute public comment period at the beginning of the meeting, which starts at 6:30 p.m.
Those wishing to speak should arrive early to sign up for public comment before the meeting begins.
The Boone Town Council meets at the Town Council Chambers at 1500 Blowing Rock Road.
Since a public hearing on the draft last month, Boone Town Council members have been bombarded with emails, phone calls and Facebook messages on the controversial topic.
“We've heard it loud and clear,” said council member Jamie Leigh. “I think we just need to make some good decisions about it.”
At issue are proposed decibel limits for late-night live music performances at commercial establishments.
The draft ordinance proposes that sound emanating from such events, measured at or within 10 feet of the venue's property line, be restricted to 65 decibels from 10 p.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday evenings and to 55 decibels from midnight to 2 a.m. Saturday and Sunday mornings.
On weeknights, the standards would be 65 decibels until 11 p.m. and 55 decibels after that.
After four written warnings, subsequent violations of the ordinance would result in $100, $200 and $500 fines.
Opponents to the proposed standards are advocating for higher decibel levels for late-night concerts — 70 to 75 decibels until 2 a.m. on weeknights and 80 to 85 decibels until 2 a.m. on weekends.
An ad hoc group, Citizens for a Reasonable Noise Ordinance, has spent the past month gathering hundreds of signatures in support of a petition, expected to be presented to the council Tuesday.
Leigh said she has received a “ton” of correspondence related to the noise ordinance.
“Primarily we're hearing from the people who would like for the limits to be raised,” she said, though she also received some emails from neighborhood residents in favor of stronger noise regulations.
“I think we understand what the issues are,” she said, adding that now's the time to strike a compromise between business and neighborhood interests.
Council member Andy Ball said some 150 to 200 people have contacted him about the ordinance.
“I don't think I've gotten as much correspondence about any other issue,” said Ball, who has served two years on the council.
Ball said he is ready to make progress on the noise ordinance and will not support any further delays in action.
“I think we have a good draft,” he said. We need to adjust those (decibel) levels quite a bit,” he said.
Ball said he would like to see an ordinance enacted for a trial period that includes summer months, when High Country residents often leave their windows open at night.
Ball said he believed the council would accept further comments on the proposed noise ordinance during the 15-minute public comment period at the beginning of the meeting, which starts at 6:30 p.m.
Those wishing to speak should arrive early to sign up for public comment before the meeting begins.
The Boone Town Council meets at the Town Council Chambers at 1500 Blowing Rock Road.