Commission tables proposed Argyle noise ordinance rewrite to clarify scope and Section C

Argyle staff presented a proposed rewrite of section 8.02003 on April 1 that would add definitions and numeric decibel standards for residential, commercial and industrial land uses. The proposal included a measurement period of at least 30 minutes for enforcement, tiered exceedances (noise standard, noise standard plus 15 dB for a 1‑minute average, and plus 20 dB at any time) and a separate list of prohibited activities under Section C.

Commissioners probed how Section C — a list of activities such as yelling, amplified outdoor music, or persistent animal noise — would interact with the decibel table, asking whether acts listed in C should be measured against the decibel thresholds or treated as stand‑alone prohibitions. Staff said the decibel rules in Sections A and B set the numeric standards and that the items in C were intended as additional clarifications, but several commissioners and the town attorney suggested C either be struck or reworded to avoid confusion and unintended enforcement outcomes.

Staff noted the draft drew on examples from Flower Mound and Lewisville; one staff member explained the 30‑minute measurement baseline and the 1‑minute and instantaneous exceedance rules during the discussion. Commissioners raised enforcement practicality — who measures decibels and when — and whether animal noises or single shouts would be covered without time‑based qualifiers.

After discussion commissioners voted to table the ordinance and direct staff to consult with legal counsel and revise the language of Section C and the interrelationship between numeric and descriptive standards. The item will return to a future meeting after staff incorporates the suggested clarifications.