Manatee County noise ordinance needs daytime limits, too

To Manatee County commissioners:

Thank you for the opportunity to attend the work session on July 27 and comment on the proposed new noise ordinance. Although the proposed new noise ordinance places strict limits on noise abuse during the hours of 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., it does very little to curb the emissions of health-endangering noise between the hours of 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. (when most people are awake).

Between these hours, it is permissible to generate noise levels of over 1,000 decibels (at source) which are fatal. However, the noise would be fully compliant with a noise ordinance. This seems to be an anomaly.

Neither the present nor proposed new noise ordinances do anything to set a limit (at source) of noise emissions during the 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. period. The only exception is the proposed new curb on noise abuse from vehicle sound systems.

Under the proposed new ordinance, if the vehicle sound is “clearly audible” (i.e. circa 65dB) by a police officer at a distance of 25 feet, it will constitute an infringement of the noise ordinance. This noise level is transient, i.e. most people will not hear it for more than about 60 seconds since the offending vehicle is in motion.

In contrast, we have sports fields with amplified music and PA broadcast systems that emit continuous noise (at source) of around 120dB for three hours. This noise is audible at levels of 75-80dB one mile away and causes stress and health deterioration of local residents.

Stress and associated premature death from noise abuse are no less a safety hazard than transient vehicular noise.

I propose that in the new noise ordinance, you consider maximum limits on noise emissions (at source) during the 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. period.

Thank you and kind regards,

This story was originally published August 12, 2016 at 1:31 PM with the headline "Manatee County noise ordinance needs daytime limits, too."