By Krista Craig
krista@thenewsobserver.com
A town hall meeting, held to hear pros and cons regarding noise allowed from Blue Ridge businesses, failed to produce definite promises, but left a tone current regulations will be relaxed.
The Blue Ridge City Council held the Thursday, July 29 meeting to get opinions from residents, musicians, and business owners regarding the enforcement of the noise regulation in the Alcohol Ordinance.
The Police Powers Ordinance gives police the power “to prohibit and regulate noise which disturbs the public peace.”
While amplified music can be played inside an establishment, the Alcohol Ordinance prohibits an establishment that serves alcohol “to allow any noise to be created in a patio/open area which may be heard from a distance of 100 yards from the patio/open area” as well as “allow the operation of any sound amplification devices in the patio/open area.”
The Alcohol Ordinance was adopted on April 12, 2011, but the enforcement of the noise prohibition has not been consistently enforced.
Laura Ray, who owns a law firm in downtown Blue Ridge, said, the city council gave assurances to business owners and residents before the adoption of the Alcohol Ordinance that “not a single pouring license would be issued if it would negatively impact residential communities, affect the health and general welfare of the public or impact public peace.”
Most recently, there have been some complaints about amplified music and noise coming from downtown restaurants and bars from some residents and other business owners, but the majority of the people who spoke Thursday, which included business owners, musicians, and a few residents, did agree that the arts and music are very important to businesses and a large part of the charm and draw of patrons to Blue Ridge.
Hope Killingsworth, who is a member of the business association, said, “Without the businesses, Blue Ridge would be a ghost town. In terms of music, we are an arts community, we support the performing arts.”
The main suggestion made to the mayor and city council by business owners, musicians, and residents included establishing specific days and time periods, such as between the hours of 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., for amplified music to be allowed and played, or posting signs outside of an establishment as well as notifying residents and other business owners of upcoming events that will include amplified music.
It was also suggested that using decibel meters could be a good way for restaurants and bar establishments to measure the amount of noise or amplified music being produced.
The overall consensus from the public, the mayor, and the city council comments was that a change or amendment to the noise portion of the alcohol ordinance is needed so that business owners, musicians, and residents of downtown Blue Ridge can coexist.
The mayor and members of the city council agreed as well.
However, the wheels of government can grind slowly, and any amendments to any ordinance will require a first and second reading, which will take time.
Mayor Donna Whitener said, “The things that you have suggestions for if you could send those to city hall so that we have those and we are not missing steps. This will not happen overnight. This will take a couple of months.”