Palmetto to again consider possible noise ordinance

PALMETTO -- Palmetto officials will resume their debate Monday on whether to piggy-back onto Manatee County's new proposed noise ordinance, which is expected to come up for a vote in June.

The city of Bradenton took swift action on joining the county in late April, but Palmetto was hesitant to act so quickly with concerns about language and enforcement in the county's new ordinance.

City Attorney Mark Barnebey questioned how the city could enforce the ordinance when the definitions between the city and county codes are different. He also pointed out that the county uses a special magistrate to hear noise violations while the city uses a code enforcement board.

Vice Mayor Harold Smith said he was uncomfortable with the enforcement language, pointing out that under the city's current ordinance, a warning is issued for the first violation, while the county's proposal would carry an automatic $250 fine and/or a second-degree misdemeanor charge.

"That's no warning," said Smith.

What you are saying

"Right now in Manatee County if you are a resident living near commercial property you have no rights. You think you do, until a new business moves into the neighborhood and you have a noise issue, then you find out that the commercial property can basically put out as much noise as they want and as a resident you can do nothing." -- James Rae, Bradenton.

What they are saying:

"Right now, we don't have a big problem and the complaints we do have usually get handled with a first warning. It's a radical departure from the way we handle noise ordinances now." -- Palmetto Police Chief Scott Tyler.

Mark Young, Herald urban affairs reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7041 or follow him on Twitter@urbanmark2014.

This story was originally published May 15, 2016 at 9:20 PM with the headline "Palmetto to again consider possible noise ordinance ."