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Tag: Holmes Beach noise

Letter to the Editor: Residents insist on equal protection in noise ordinance

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Letter to the Editor, Opinion.

The Holmes Beach Commission is working diligently on the Island Bazaar site plan for the old Wells Fargo location in addressing the noise issue, the discussion of which was initiated by the mayor. We learned long ago that noise is a difficult issue to understand unless you have actually experienced it. It is an issue that has been greatly researched, and the mayor’s dialogue touched on some of what is deeply rooted in that research, and that is that there can be negative impacts. The reduction to 50 decibels during the day in this resolution was noteworthy; it will be great for the mayor and her family, who live nearby.

We all know that we have lost many residents, and for some, noise was a contributing factor. Sometimes the sustained shouting, yelling and screaming in our neighborhoods is what forced people out. For years, noise was mischaracterized, and residential zones were misreferenced as vacation rental districts, resort zones or commercial zones, although the zone should have no bearing since the noise control ordinance is citywide. It took seven years for reprieve for us, and although the situation is better, it is not 50 decibels during the day.

That level of protection is now only in this one geographic region, at the old Wells Fargo location. It may not have been the intent to deny equal protection to others within the city, but it is reasonable that all residents should be protected equally regardless of where they live. Many residents have been exposed to similar levels of sustained and repetitive noise; we are not seeing any reason that others should be treated differently. It is reasonable that equal protection, both literally and figuratively, should be provided to everyone in the city and that there should be even enforcement.

Considering that the 14th Amendment grants equal protection, we think the city needs to take action to apply that same daytime 50 decibel level citywide.

 

Dick and Margie Motzer

Holmes Beach

Commission candidates weigh in on noise

Commission candidates weigh in on noise

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – The November election is almost upon us and five candidates are competing for three seats on the city commission. To help Holmes Beach voters make an informed decision at the polls, The Sun asked each candidate to express their opinion on several issues facing the city. Here, candidates answer the question “How do you feel about noise in residential neighborhoods?”

Renee Ferguson

“Noise continues to be a concern for our city. We have had excellent discussions on this subject in regular commission meetings and work sessions. Our city has been successful in implementing some valuable ideas suggested by both commissioners and residents. We are a resort destination and suffer some of the same pains as other resort cities and can look to them for ideas. I am convinced that as long as we continue to listen to our residents and resort housing managers and work together, we will make further progress on resolving this issue to improve quality of life.”

John Monetti

“I would preface my response with the recognition that I do not have all the current information available since I currently am not a city commissioner. My feelings on the topics reflect topical knowledge though I do stay abreast of these issues as an interested resident. Noise is an issue that has been divisive for decades. It is a subject that lends itself to having certain folks never being satisfied. I would be more inclined to be centrally positioned. We have codes that can be utilized to create compromise.”

Pat Morton

“Unfortunately, the only issue we are really having is daytime noise of children swimming in pools. These families may someday be our residents. I do not believe in ticketing children in pools. A friendly visit by code compliance seems to do the trick.”

Terry Schaefer

“This subject has been studied for in excess of six months and recently acted upon by passage of an amended ordinance providing the Code Compliance and Police Departments further tools to regulate the issue. In addition, I suggested and the commission unanimously approved retention of our magistrate hearing attorney to research defendable methods utilized by other Florida communities proven to be effective addressing nuisance properties. The results will be submitted to the commission and staff for consideration within the forum of open meetings allowing for public input. Our departments responsible for monitoring and enforcing these measures have done an effective job addressing the issue with a spirit of fairness and protection to neighbors while educating visitors to the rules of conduct required. Excessive and repeating violating properties are well known by staff with additional efforts extended, in order to maintain compliance and hopefully harmony between residents and visitors. When citations and fines are warranted, they are issued.”

Carol Soustek

“Respect for each other is key. Renters and residents love the Island and just want to be here for as long as they can. Islanders want to show off their paradise and visitors wish they lived here. For the most part, I see a good balance on the noise and we have very good practices and laws in place to handle any overly happy visitors.”

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Changes come to noise ordinance

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – City leaders are once again modifying the Holmes Beach noise ordinance in a bid to try to reduce excess noise in residential areas.

Commissioners voted unanimously on Aug. 10 to pass the first reading of an amendment to the city’s noise ordinance that adds language defining the term “plainly audible” and requires any mounted speakers to be pointed toward the home where they’re located instead of toward neighboring properties.

When considering the updates to the noise ordinance, commissioners sought the advice of attorney Erica Augello, who represents the city on code compliance matters.

Augello advised commissioners to remove language from the proposed update to the ordinance that would give officers too broad a reach when determining who the offender is in a noise violation. She said the proposed language would be unenforceable because it basically includes everyone in any way associated with the noise, from the person turning up the volume on a stereo to the company that made the speakers.

Another issue she found with the proposed ordinance changes was in the speaker direction specification. After some discussion, commissioners agreed to go with language that specifies that mounted speakers have to be pointed inward toward the property where they’re being used. Augello said specifying all speakers need to be pointed inward toward the property creates an enforcement issue because some speakers are portable and have a 360-degree shape, meaning they amplify sound on all sides. She added that it also becomes an issue for officers responding to a noise complaint in that they cannot enter a property to check the placement of speakers unless allowed on the property by the occupants.

In the language concerning the addition of the use of “plainly audible” as an enforcement tool for officers responding to noise complaints, the ordinance changes specify that the plainly audible tool can be used during nighttime and early morning quiet hours and that the offending noise must be easily heard by responding officers from a distance of 100 feet from the property line.

Commissioner Kim Rash said he’d like to see that distance reduced to 25 or 50 feet from the property line, however, Augello said it becomes more difficult to defend a case before a special magistrate or in court at a shorter distance. Police Chief Bill Tokajer said officers may be able to hear the noise from a closer distance and can use a different enforcement tool, such as the seven standards already in the ordinance for determining if noise is too loud or not.

Commissioners also agreed to have city staff look into a way that noise nuisance properties can be dealt with in a way other than fining different short-term vacation renters each week.

Commissioner Jayne Christenson said just fining a different group of renters each week will not change the overall behavior at rental homes.

The proposed changes to the noise ordinance will go back before commissioners for a final vote and a second public hearing during an upcoming regular meeting.

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City buzzing about noise regulations

 

Holmes Beach commissioner receives noise warning

 

Commissioners consider changes to noise ordinance

City buzzing about noise regulations

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – More changes are on the way for the city’s noise regulations with the proposed addition of the term “plainly audible,” a requirement to face noise-producing electronics toward the rental units and a proposition to get a financial bond or some other financial security for unpaid noise citations.

Commissioners discussed the issue of excessive noise in residential communities during a July 27 work session. Despite Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer saying the city’s current ordinance is working and is “a model ordinance” being emulated by other cities, commissioners are considering adding the current regulations to help curtail noise between houses.

One of the things already being used by police and code officers responding to noise violation complaints is “plainly audible.” Commissioners agreed that the term needs to be added to the current noise ordinance for clarification and enforcement.

Tokajer said he’s instructed officers arriving at a noise complaint to judge if the noise being heard would disturb them at night in their home. If so, he said officers can consider the noise complaint valid. Currently, officers use the plainly audible method in addition to noise meters and the seven noise standards already set out in the ordinance when responding to quiet hours noise complaints between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. A motion to use the plainly audible standard during the day failed to achieve a consensus between commissioners.

With increased enforcement, Tokajer said officers have issued more tickets in 2021 than in 2020, with 37 noise citations issued through the end of June. He said officers issued 29 citations all year in 2020.

He added that officers received 330 calls for service for noise issues in 2020 and 164 through June 30 in 2021.

Commissioners agreed to move the first reading of the amended noise ordinance to a future meeting.

Other changes being considered to the city’s noise regulations include a requirement to face a noise-producing device, such as a stereo or boom box, toward the rental unit where it is located to reduce noise to neighboring properties, and the placement of a sign reminding visitors that they’re renting in a residential neighborhood outside by pools. Both changes are under consideration to be added to the city’s vacation rental ordinance.

Commissioners also instructed staff to look into options for obtaining a bond or some other financial security instrument for unpaid noise citations. Thus far, Tokajer said all noise citations issued have been paid. Commissioners agreed they’d like to get out in front of the potential problem of unpaid fines before it becomes an issue.

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Holmes Beach commissioner receives noise warning

Commissioners consider changes to noise ordinance

Holmes Beach commissioner receives noise warning

Holmes Beach commissioner receives noise warning

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – Issues between two neighbors in an attached duplex caught the attention of police when one accused the other of violating the city’s noise ordinance. The neighbor on the receiving end of a noise violation warning was Commissioner Kim Rash.

The incident took place in the early morning hours of May 1 and lasted for nearly two hours. When Rash left town in the days following the April 27 city commission meeting, he left a stereo playing in his side of the Holmes Boulevard duplex to make people think that he and his family were home instead of out of town. His neighbor, Anastasios Tricas who owns the other side of the multi-story duplex, called police to report a noise violation just after 6 a.m. on May 1 due to noise from the stereo.

In the report compiled by Holmes Beach police officers, Tricas said he had dealt with the noise from the stereo for a couple of days before calling police and that the bass was vibrating the walls of his unit, making it difficult for him and his wife to sleep.

Though officers on the scene said the music from the stereo didn’t violate the city’s noise ordinance, a decibel reading taken in the shared stairwell of the duplex came in at 45db according to the police report and officers did determine that the vibration in the walls due to the bass from the stereo. The continuous nature of the noise and volume, among other issues, was a violation of the city’s noise ordinance, the officers said.

A warning was posted at Rash’s door and, after officers determined that no one was home, they called the commissioner to advise him of the situation and see what could be done to turn the stereo off.

Rash immediately complied with officers and called a friend to come over to remedy the situation in his absence. Chief Bill Tokajer said that while Rash did comply, it took some time to get someone to the house to turn the stereo off.

While waiting for someone to come to turn off the stereo, Tricas wrote out a five-page statement giving a list of accusations against his neighbor, even stating that the strained relationship with Rash is one of the reasons his side of the duplex is currently for sale.

One of the more serious complaints in Tricas’s statement accuses Rash of using his position as a city commissioner to overstep and scare Tricas off of calling the city to complain about issues.

Rash declined to comment on the accusations made by his neighbor.

Rash is one of the city commissioners who has fought publicly for stricter enforcement of the city’s noise ordinance, particularly the use of a list of seven standards to determine if noise is an issue rather than a noise meter reading. It was only in the past few months that commissioners agreed to adjust enforcement of the noise ordinance to take the seven standards into higher regard than a decibel reading from the noise meter over the city’s decibel maximum, 50db for quiet hours when this incident occurred.

The noise complaint and associated accusations weren’t the only issues brought to the city between the two neighbors.

Tricas also contacted the city’s code compliance department on April 30 to report trash on Rash’s side of a shared patio. When reporting his complaint, he said he had a showing of his duplex unit that afternoon and that bottles, trash and chairs were strewn about on the patio. In his complaint to police, he said the trash and tipped-over chairs were the result of a loud gathering the Rash family had on April 29-30. Though Rash had a friend quickly come and clean up the mess before code officers were able to respond to the home, where the trash came from is still a mystery as the Rash family members were all out of town at the time with no one staying at the home, according to the police report from the May 1 incident.

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Commissioners consider changes to noise ordinance

 

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Commissioners consider changes to noise ordinance

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – Noise is news once again in this community.

The subject was broached by Commissioner Kim Rash, who said he feels the city’s current noise ordinance and reliance on readings from a noise meter don’t reflect the issues that residents are having, particularly those with homes near large vacation rental properties.

“I think the staff and the Chief are doing well with it but more is needed to combat noise issues,” Rash said.

In addition to the noise meter and the seven standards that police and code compliance officers can use to identify a noise violation, Rash suggested city leaders adopt a “plainly audible” standard to the noise ordinance. Using a plainly audible standard, if officers could hear noise from a long distance from the source of the noise, a length that would have to be determined by commissioners, the noise would be considered in violation of the city’s ordinance and a noise violation citation could be issued to the offender.

He also asked police Chief Bill Tokajer to consider a way for people reporting potential noise violations to remain anonymous.

Commissioner Jayne Christenson agreed with Rash, saying that people who call police with noise complaints are sometimes retaliated against by the subjects of the complaint.

Tokajer said that adding a plainly audible standard to the noise ordinance may not get the results that people worried about noise are expecting – more noise citations.

“I think our ordinance is well-written,” he said, adding that when making changes, commissioners need to make sure that they do not overreach to infringe on private property rights and that the changes are legally defensible if the matter should go to court. Tokajer said one of Rash’s suggestions, to lower the start of quiet hours from 10 p.m. to 8 p.m., was, in his opinion, overreaching.

In the past year, he said officers have responded to 330 noise complaints and issued 25 citations, 23 of which were paid. During nighttime hours after 10 p.m., the maximum allowable level for noise is 55 decibels.

As to allowing people to report potential noise violations anonymously, Tokajer said there is a bill going before the Florida Legislature that wouldn’t allow officers to respond to an anonymous complaint. Also, if a complaint goes before a judge, he said the judge needs to hear from someone harmed or aggrieved by the noise, not a responding officer.

Once officers respond to a noise complaint and make contact with the people causing the noise, whether there’s a violation or not, his officers do not have to go back the same night.

Attorney Erica Augello said that “plainly audible” is very suggestible and is considered in some courts to be unconstitutional. If commissioners agree to add it to the noise ordinance, she said it would need to be very carefully and clearly defined with parameters and standards clearly set out, along with a very clear definition of noise.

City Attorney Patricia Petruff said she would work with city staff on drafting a more stringent noise ordinance for commissioners to consider for adoption. She said commissioners should manage their expectations though, because even if they approve a stricter noise ordinance, it might not hold up in court.

Mayor Judy Titsworth said that with a combined community of residents and vacation renters with large homes and small lots, there’s no way to avoid noise in residential neighborhoods. She suggested holding another stakeholder meeting on noise to see if there are any suggestions from community members on what can be done to address concerns and help improve everyone’s experience in the community.

“The residents just want to be able to live and sleep in their homes,” resident Richard Motzer said.

Commissioner Carol Soustek said she’s not against strengthening the noise ordinance, but she doesn’t want to adopt a law that isn’t enforceable.

“I cannot eliminate noise,” she said. “I can try to contain it to make it less horrible.”

Commissioner Jim Kihm said he feels like noise isn’t a city-wide problem but is confined to certain areas which may need to be addressed.

Christenson said the average age of Holmes Beach residents is 64.

“We are an older community and we want our peace and quiet,” she said.

Once attorneys and city staff have a chance to discuss what changes could potentially be made to the noise ordinance, it will come back before commissioners for discussion at a future work session.

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Commissioner proposes unique solution to noise

Commissioner proposes unique solution to noise

Commissioner proposes unique solution to noise

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Featured, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – Commissioner Kim Rash wants city leaders to follow the letter of the law, particularly where it involves the enforcement of the city’s noise ordinance.

Rash brought up noise in residential areas during the April 23 regular meeting. He said that the noise from vacation rentals in residential areas remains a large problem for residents. With some rentals being occupied for less than the required seven days and other over posted capacity, Rash said he wants to make sure that no one is exempted from the city’s noise ordinance, including children. His argument is that the noise ordinance governing the levels of acceptable noise during day and nighttime hours does not single out an age group to apply to, so it should be applied to everyone equally.

“I don’t see anything where any age group is exempted from our code. We have the decimal reader and that covers everybody,” he said. “I’ve heard different people say we’re not going to give kids citations even though they’re breaking our code. My thing is noise is noise and it doesn’t matter if you’re one or 91.”

Mayor Judy Titsworth didn’t agree with Rash’s idea.

“Do you want us to cite children playing in pools?” she asked Rash.

“If people are violating our noise ordinance, they need to be cited,” Rash replied.

Titsworth said the city’s residential neighborhoods are not 55 plus communities and are open to families. She added that she hopes to attract more families to the area rather than deter them through police presence.

“Once we start citing children in pools people will leave and never come back,” she said. Rather than giving a citation to children or their families for loud horseplay outside during the day, Titsworth said she prefers to have code enforcement officers visit the property who greet the family in a friendly manner, bring gifts for the children and gently remind visitors that they’re vacationing in a residential neighborhood.

Rash replied that while he loves children, visitors to the city and the rental agents who manage properties need to follow the rules, including the noise ordinance. Rather than discourage families from coming to the Island, he said his hope is to create balance between visitors and residents so that everyone can enjoy the residential neighborhoods. He added that he would like to see occupancy enforced during the day time, rather than just for overnight visitors, to prevent backyard parties at rental properties during the day.

Police Chief Bill Tokajer said that while overnight occupancy limits can’t be enforced during the day, his department is ready to respond to noise complaints, including those generated by a large group of people gathering at one property.

City Attorney Patricia Petruff said that she doesn’t know how occupancy can be enforced during the day because property owners and renters are allowed to have guests visit the property as long as they don’t exceed maximum occupancy of two people per bedroom or six people maximum, whichever is greater, at night.

In a letter to city leaders, resident Renee Ferguson followed up on Rash’s comments, saying that with the high price of property on Anna Maria Island, she feels that young families have been largely priced out of living in the area, leaving the population primarily a mix of visitors and retirees, in her estimation.

“No one that bought here to live full time signed on to be responsible for making sure our visitors are entertained and have a good time. I sure never agreed to that when I built my home,” Ferguson’s letter states.

“Our chief states clearly in a newspaper letter (Feb 26th) that day time noise is “normal conversation.” Screaming kids in a pool is not normal conversation. If this is occurring, then the renter should be cited. Our police and code enforcement have the tools they need to enforce.

“Residents have asked to make clearer to management companies what our ordinances state,” the letter continues. “The clingers, (small instruction signs) showing kids playing in the pool, states a message of being “respectful.” That message alone could mean something different to each reader. We need something clearer. Normal conversation is acceptable, screaming is not.

“If we just follow our own codes, the residents and visitors could enjoy the best the Island has to offer. Beautiful sunsets, clean beaches and fun times,” she wrote.

While no resolution was achieved with regard to daytime noise, Titsworth did say that the city’s noise ordinance will soon come before commissioners to consider changes to the fine structure.

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Mayor calls out residents for noise complaints

Mayor calls out residents for noise complaints

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – In a surprise move, Mayor Judy Titsworth not only publicly named two residents who called her to report noise issues but also reprimanded the two from the dais during a Feb. 12 commission meeting.

During mayoral comments at the start of the meeting, Titsworth read a prepared statement to city officials and the gathered public concerning two phone calls she’d received over the weekend, one from resident Richard Motzer and one from resident and Commissioner Kim Rash.

“Last weekend I was called twice about noise complaints. The first call was made by resident Kim Rash. For some reason, he didn’t want to be a commissioner when he called at 11:15 at night. I was called 15 minutes before he decided to call the police. The police did respond after they completed a traffic stop and they addressed the situation. The second call I received was made by Mr. Motzer on Sunday afternoon and when I asked him to call the police he refused and said that they wouldn’t do anything and then he angrily said goodbye. In both instances, they said they were only doing what I told them to do. Because of the nature of both of these calls I have unfortunately blocked them from my phone as I don’t condone bullying or harassment,” Titsworth said.

She concluded her comments by calling on Code Enforcement Officer James Thomas to inform commissioners and the public how to properly report a noise complaint to city officials.

While Rash’s only comment during the meeting from the dais was that in calling the mayor, he was doing what he had been instructed to do, Motzer was not present during the discussion.

According to emails between Rash and Titsworth, the call to the mayor’s phone on Feb. 9 resulted in a voicemail that she responded to the following morning by email, volunteering to follow up on the noise complaint with some additional information from Rash. The email chain shows that Rash responded to the request with more details about the situation, offering to work with Titsworth to bring solutions for noise back to his fellow commissioners. In an interview with the Sun, Rash said that he also went to city hall to try and meet with the mayor before the Feb. 12 meeting but was not accommodated by Titsworth.

Rash forwarded the emails between himself and Titsworth to City Clerk Stacey Johnston on Feb. 13 along with a statement to be shared with commissioners. In the email he said, “I was totally shocked at Mayor Titsworth’s attacks towards me, especially on the dais. I am 100 percent sure Judy asked me to call her direct if I ever had a noise problem. That is what I did. The email she sent Sunday morning was totally different than her attacks at the meeting. I thought my reply was very professional to her. I want to build bridges toward solutions.”

The Feb. 9 incident involving Rash and renters at 202 72nd Street was reported to HBPD officers who were involved in a traffic stop when the call from Rash came in at 11:31 p.m. Rash states that he called Titsworth to witness the noise at 11:16 p.m. He said that when the residents of the property moved back inside before officers arrived that he called HBPD dispatch and said the noise had stopped. According to HBPD records, that call came in at 11:49 p.m. Officers still responded to the call, Chief Bill Tokajer said, and determined that it was unfounded. They spoke to the residents who agreed to turn off a generator powering an incorrectly parked recreational vehicle and agreed to correctly park the vehicle as soon as possible.

Motzer also chose to respond to the mayor’s comments by email.

“Some residents, including myself, have expressed that we were totally blindsided by the mayor at the Feb. 12 commission meeting where I was not even present. All of us have had the understanding that Mayor Titsworth has told them to call her if there were noise issues. She even lamented in a Nov. 22 text ‘the Motzers have never called.’”

Motzer’s wife, Margie, was at the Feb. 12 meeting.

Motzer’s email goes on to say that the call to Titsworth lasted 32-seconds because she was not in town. He said that he did state she suggested he call the police but that he has found reporting noise complaints to officers to be “ineffective and/or counterproductive.” Motzer said he had no knowledge of Rash’s call to the mayor the night before.

Regarding the mayor’s comments about exhibiting bullying and harassing behavior, he said the accusations are false.

“Citizens were taken aback that this was done in public forum and that two residents were blocked with one call each after being, not only instructed, but encouraged to do so,” he said in the email.

“After the meeting there were more residents discussing the imminence of moving, so we are losing more residents because of incidents such as the above,” he said, concluding the emailed statement. “We need professional leadership.”

Though Motzer’s complaint was not called in to the HBPD, Tokajer followed up on it via the NoiseAware system installed in the rental he said Motzer was complaining about noise coming from, 5501 Holmes Boulevard. At the time the call came in to Titsworth, Tokajer said the print out from the NoiseAware system showed no noise that would violate the city’s 65-decibel noise maximum for daytime noise.

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Holmes Beach nuisance pool sticker

City looks for new ways to fight noise

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – City commissioners want to give residents some relief from ongoing noise issues at rental properties in their residential neighborhoods. Unfortunately finding a solution that’s effective and legally enforceable is proving to be a difficult task.

Attorney Jim Dye presented commissioners with possible suggestions for the development of a nuisance ordinance to combat repeat noise ordinance offenders. The issue, Dye said, is that in order for a property to be considered a nuisance, there must be a violation notice issued or fine levied against occupants. Without a violation recorded, any calls to the property for noise issues won’t count toward whatever number of violations commissioners determine to constitute a nuisance. Police Chief Bill Tokajer said that out of the many calls for noise issues the department receives, only a few have resulted in violations and none so far this year have been issued at the same address.

Tokajer reported that out of 176 calls for noise issues to the police department, 16 resulted in citations and three involved the renters being evicted from the property.

“Once we issue a citation or knock on the door we don’t usually get a call to go back,” he said.

Currently, officers respond as quickly as possible to noise complaints with a noise meter. If the complainant identified themselves when calling, officers can go to the location where the noise was observed to take a decibel reading with the noise meter. Unfortunately for officers, Tokajer said the vast majority of calls, around 85 percent, are anonymous. In those instances, he said the only recourse for officers is to go to the property line in the front and back to take two meter readings in each location. If the noise is found to not be above 65 decibels during the day or 50 decibels after 10 p.m., officers still go knock on the door of the reported property to alert the inhabitants that a noise complaint has come into the department. If the decibel reading is over the day or nighttime limit, a citation is issued.

To help better enforce the city’s noise ordinance, Tokajer suggested allowing people who call in to complain about a noise issue to remain anonymous on police reports but also identify themselves to officers so that the responding officer can take a decibel reading from the area where the noise was observed. Commissioners agreed with the suggestion.

Holmes Beach noise meter
Code enforcement officer James Thomas holds one of the city’s two noise meters during a public forum at city field. – File Photo | Sun

Code enforcement officers also are going to properties where multiple noise complaints have been called in to welcome new renters on weekends and advise them of the city’s noise regulations. Tokajer said the program has been effective at reducing the number of calls to the department. Currently, 11 rental units are a part of the outreach program.

Commissioners instructed Tokajer to keep current programs in place to help enforce the noise ordinance and reduce disturbances to residents. They also asked him to work with Dye to develop a nuisance ordinance addressing not only noise but other chronic issues as well, such as improper dumping of materials, improperly placed garbage and recycling receptacles and vacation rental certificate program violations. Commissioners agreed to revisit the noise ordinance as quickly as possible to readdress the city’s decibel limits, nighttime hours and violation fines.

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