Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Noise Ordinance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council advances alternate noise plan after weeks of public backlash; staff to redraft ordinance
Summary
Council extended deliberations and asked staff to prepare an alternate noise ordinance patterned on the Fullerton Transportation Center standards after hours of public comment split between downtown music supporters and nearby residents; staff will return with a revised draft and a resolution on fines in two weeks.
Fullerton — After hours of public testimony Sept. 16, the City Council directed staff to draft an alternate noise ordinance and continue the item to allow two weeks’ public review. The item divides business owners and live-music supporters, who favor clearer outdoor-entertainment rules, and residents and preservation advocates, who urged stricter limits tied to the property line.
Staff’s original proposal would have applied new decibel thresholds to all properties in C3 and GC commercial zones, setting a baseline ambient assumption of about 65 dBA and allowing up to 80 dBA during evening hours in high-activity zones. Measurement would occur at the commercial property line or 25 feet from the source, whichever is greater, using a type-2 sound meter; enforcement steps include administrative citations, remedy meetings and, in repeated cases, Planning Commission review to suspend or revoke permits.
Public commenters were sharply divided. Supporters of outdoor music warned that the downtown economy and cultural institutions rely on predictable rules for amplified outdoor performances; several said the city’s study showed downtown ambient noise already averages near proposed values. Opponents — including residents of new downtown housing and noise-policy advocates — urged the council to adopt the Transportation Center standards (which were accompanied by an EIR) and to measure at the property line rather than at a 25-foot distance; they also urged higher penalties and a longer accumulation window for enforcement.
Mayor Jeong proposed, and council supported, a direction to staff that would incorporate the Transportation-Center noise thresholds, adopt property-line measurement where feasible, and return with a resolution setting administrative fines at $500 for the first violation, $750 second and $1,000 third (with accumulations counted over one year rather than six months) and with shorter measurement intervals to improve enforceability. City attorney and staff provided an alternate ordinance reflecting that approach and it was placed on the public record for a two-week review prior to final adoption.
Council emphasized the need for clear enforcement tools and asked staff to ensure the code changes will not conflict with the General Plan noise element or state law. The item was continued for final ordinance drafting, fee-resolution preparation and return to council for adoption.
