The music started. Police Investigator Max Branch wanted to “pump up the volume.”
Several members of the sparse crowd gathered in the Municipal Complex courtroom winced or covered their ears as the music reached 80 decibels — the maximum volume that would be allowed anywhere at any time under the city’s proposed noise ordinance.
Branch demonstrated the city’s new decibel reader that will be employed to enforce the ordinance, once it’s passed, during Tuesday’s city council meeting. The city plans to publish the ordinance and hold a public hearing before the council considers approval.
“This (device) will be a great tool for us to be impartial,” Branch told the council.
Based heavily on a similar ordinance recently enacted in Oxford, the new proposed noise ordinance would set time restrictions and measurable decibel maximums on outdoor entertainment that vary based on zone.
For example, it would allow certain decibel maximums between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. in a single-family residential zone and prohibit “plainly audible” noise outside of those hours. Multi-unit residential zones would allow lower maximums throughout the day. Commercial districts, particularly the Central Business or Historic District, would have the most flexibility with how late and how loud music or other noise can be projected.
City Attorney Jeff Turnage said other general restrictions would include barking dogs that are “plainly audible” from the property line and vehicle noises — such as cars with loud mufflers or stereos driving in neighborhoods — that are plainly audible from 30 feet away.
Construction noise would be restricted before 6:30 a.m. and after 7 p.m.
Penalties are up to a $1,000 fine per offense or up to 90 days in jail.
Discussions for an updated noise ordinance began late last year after citizens complained about loud music at certain businesses — particularly Yo’Bar on Bluecutt Road and Patio 45 on Highway 45 N.
Branch said if officers receive a noise complaint, they respond to the area and measure the decibels from the property line of the potential nuisance property. If the levels violate the ordinance, he said property owners will likely receive a warning on the first offense.
“If we get called out (to a business) on Friday night, it won’t be a warning on Saturday night,” Branch added.
Ward 2 Councilman Joseph Mickens expressed hope the new ordinance would cut down on violations and noise complaints.
“I hope this can put this to rest and we can move on.”
Turnage, however, said he expected a learning curve.
“I think there’s going to be some growing pains with it and some people are going to be upset for a while, particularly some businesses that like to play it loud.”
In other business, the council discussed, but took no action on, the possibility of returning to a four-day workweek for most city employees, starting in January.
It also appointed Ward 3 Councilman Rusty Greene to serve on the Columbus-Lowndes Municipal Airport Board. He will serve alongside Ward 4’s Pierre Beard as one of two councilmen on that board.
The council also formally voted to allow the public to again attend council meetings in-person, although citizens have attended the last two regular sessions, including Tuesday.
Zack Plair is the managing editor for The Dispatch.
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