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Council directs legal letter after noise complaint; debate over decibel limits and enforcement
Summary
After reviewing other cities' noise codes and noting sheriff deputies lack decibel meters, the Swisher City Council voted to send a letter documenting current ordinance language to a complainant and keep enforcement complaint-driven pending any code change.
Council members revisited a formal noise complaint the council had tabled on Oct. 28 and reviewed examples from nearby cities. Staff said Swisher currently has only a short sentence in its code about "all loud or unusual and unnecessary noises," not a detailed noise chapter.
Several council members noted deputies do not carry decibel meters on patrol. As one council member put it, "we just have that sentence," and another said that a meaningful ordinance would either set specific hours (time-based restrictions) or require some quantifiable decibel threshold, which the sheriff's office may not be able to measure.
City legal counsel recommended sending a formal letter to the complainant to document the city's current ordinance and to create the record needed for any future enforcement. The council voted to send the letter; members said the letter would state the ordinance language (chapter references to be provided by clerk) and clarify that staff are not alleging a violation but are documenting the complaint.
Council members discussed whether to draft a more detailed noise ordinance in the future, but they agreed that without enforcement tools (decibel meters) any highly specific decibel standard would be difficult to apply. Staff will return with sample ordinance language and cost estimates for enforcement capability if the council wishes to pursue a codified decibel standard.
