Rowan County staff to draft noise‑ordinance revisions after commissioners flag gunshots, Tannerite and nighttime sound

County staff briefed the Rowan County Board of Commissioners on June 2, 2025, about the county’s noise ordinance and a summary of 2024 complaint data, and the board requested staff to draft revisions and pursue a courtesy hearing at the planning board.

Staff described the current county ordinance as a 24‑hour prohibition that applies to amplified sound when “the source of noise is plainly audible to a responding law enforcement officer at a distance of a hundred feet,” and which makes enforcement discretionary for responding deputies. “It’s unlawful for any person, group, or event to operate any sound amplification equipment ... emitting a sound that is unreasonable, frequent and continued,” the staff member said while reading the ordinance language.

Nut Graf: The briefing highlighted recurring complaint categories — gunshot reports, loud music and explosions from binary targets (Tannerite) — and commissioners asked staff to return with draft ordinance language that could include uniform quiet hours, updated definitions for athletic events and sports facilities, higher penalties for repeat offenses and possible restrictions on Tannerite detonations.

Staff said 2024 communications data showed about 250 gunshot calls between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m., 77 between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., and approximately 271 loud‑music complaints; they also flagged a number of calls related to explosions or Tannerite activity in evening hours. Commissioners discussed enforcement, hunting and farm operations as exceptions; Commissioner Green urged more restrictions on Tannerite, saying, “This Tannerite’s got to go,” and asked staff to consider an ordinance provision to prohibit detonations during late‑night hours.

The board directed staff to draft changes and return to the planning board for a courtesy hearing; no ordinance change was adopted at the meeting. Staff suggested possible components for a revision package: a defined nightly quiet period (staff discussed 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. as a common template, with some commissioners suggesting earlier start times), an explicit permit‑to‑exceed process for large events, clarified definitions for “athletic event” and “sports facility,” separation distances for explosive target use (300–500 feet was discussed), and consideration of stepped fines for repeat offenses.

Ending: Staff will prepare draft ordinance text and cost/enforcement impacts and bring it to the planning board and then back to the commissioners for action.