The Milton City Council plans to finalize changes to the city's noise ordinance which would lower the city's required decibel levels for commercial properties. With the exception of one nay vote from council member Alan Lowery, the council approved the first reading of Ordinance #1423-15, at this month's regular council meeting.
The proposed ordinance would limit commercial properties to having noise no louder than 65 decibels all of the time. The proposed ordinance was presented before the council by the city's administration committee.
Mayor Wesley Meiss said several business owners spoke to him about the issue.
“They applaud the council in moving forward with this and taking another look at the fines and procedures,” Meiss told the council at the regular council meeting.
Meiss said business owners suggested the city have more strict penalties for noise ordinance violators.
“One thing the business community expressed to me was… ‘make the teeth stronger,'” he said. “We are going to look at this and see what we could do to make Milton more business friendly.”
Although Lowery said he is in favor of changing the fines and penalties for exceeding the noise ordinance, he did not favor changing the decibel level.
“I believe it's a little restrictive at 65,” he said. “I do believe we need to increase the fines, so that when ( a business) is fined they are paying the price.”
Lowery said his stance on the decibel level comes from a comment made by Police Chief Greg Brand. Lowery said Brand told council members the police department didn't have issues while keeping the decibel level at 70.
According to the current city ordinance No. 1180-05, commercial properties are permitted to a decibel level of 70 on weekdays from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. and a decibel level of 65 from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. On weekends, commercial properties are limited to a 70 decibel level from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. and 65 from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m.
City Manager Brian Watkins said the proposed ordinance would simplify things by keeping the decibel level at 65 for commercial businesses “across the board.”
As for changing the penalties for violating the noise ordinance, Watkins said the city is currently looking into it.
Watkins said the second reading for the ordinance will take place at next month's regular council meeting.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Milton: Council to vote on changing noise ordinance