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Council approves first reading of vessel-noise ordinance to enforce state decibel limits
Summary
The Town Council approved first reading of an ordinance adopting Florida's decibel limits for vessels to allow enforcement against excessively loud, unmuffled jet skis; staff will provide decibel baselines before second reading.
Lake Clarke Shores — Council approved on first reading an ordinance to adopt state decibel limits for vessels, giving the town a tool to cite excessively loud and unmuffled personal watercraft.
The ordinance (first reading approved Nov. 12) adopts language from Florida Statutes and sets a maximum sound level of 90 dBA measured at 50 feet from a vessel, consistent with state law. Town Attorney Charlie said the ordinance mirrors the statute and recommended approval on first reading; staff noted enforcement will begin with warnings and escalate to citations if necessary.
Council members and residents described a specific complaint pattern: operators who perform stationary, loud tricks near shore that exceed typical personal-watercraft noise and affect adjacent homeowners' quality of life. Chief of police and marine-enforcement staff said they have capability to take readings from shore and will target enforcement based on complaint locations and repeated violations.
The council voted to approve first reading and asked staff to provide information about typical decibel readings for properly muffled personal watercraft before the ordinance returns for second reading.
Provenance: Topic introduced SEG 3583; first-reading vote recorded SEG 3778–3785.
