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Neighbors press commission over loud amplified events at Victoria 1883; owners pledge to work toward balance
Summary
Residents urged the commission to change enforcement of the 60‑decibel noise ordinance after repeated amplified events at Victoria 1883; owners said they renovated the historic property and want to cooperate. Police enforcement practices and the ordinance’s five‑minute measurement rule were central to testimony.
Several New Smyrna Beach residents used the public‑comment period to press City Commission action on amplified noise from the event venue Victoria 1883, citing repeated weekend events near their homes.
Matthew Wiseman (536 Faulkner St.) told the commission the venue regularly hires amplified bands and DJs and that sound measured from his front porch often exceeds the city’s 60‑decibel limit. Wiseman said he and his wife have used a professional sound meter and that police have not issued citations because of the department’s interpretation of the five‑minute measurement rule — which, he said, allows short drops under 60 dB to defeat enforcement. He asked the commission to revise the ordinance so that officers can enforce noise complaints more effectively.
Stephanie Wiseman, his wife, described being unable to plan family time at home because of unpredictable event schedules and played a short audio clip from a recent event as an example of the disturbance.
Owners of Victoria 1883, John and Fabiola Spooner, also spoke. They said the property — a renovated historic home purchased in 2021 — is a family‑run small business and that they have invested significant resources and effort in its restoration. They said they have received neighborhood support and told the commission they are willing to work with neighbors to seek a balanced solution.
The comments put the noise ordinance and its enforcement practices squarely before the commission; no formal policy change was made at the meeting. Commissioners heard the complaints, and the record shows neighbors asking staff to clarify enforcement options and whether ordinance revisions are necessary to give police predictable enforcement authority.
