Middlesex County board rescinds April 7, 2026 noise ordinance; unanimous vote

The Middlesex County board voted unanimously to adopt an ordinance rescinding the noise ordinance enacted on April 7, 2026, after staff said the earlier 2004 ordinance had been ruled unenforceable and the newer ordinance attracted substantial public input.

A county staff member introduced the hearing and the proposed rescission, saying "the board directed staff to prepare an ordinance rescinding the newly adopted Ordinance Noise Ordinance of April 7, 2026." The clerk then opened and closed public comment after no one registered to speak. A motion to adopt the rescission "as presented in your packet" was moved and seconded; the clerk conducted a roll-call vote in which Mr. Williams, Mr. Bill Harris, Mr. Crittendon and Mr. Don Harris each voted "Yes." The chair announced, "the April 7 noise ordinance has been rescinded."

Board members framed the action as a pause to allow broader public engagement and legal clarity rather than a final policy end. One board member noted that the county's 2004 ordinance had been rendered unenforceable by Virginia Supreme Court precedent and that rescission would not reinstate that earlier law. Another member said the county still had enforcement options through the sheriff's office and existing statutes while a new ordinance is drafted.

The board directed staff to move forward with forming a Noise Ordinance Review Committee and return with appointments at the July meeting. No timeline for adoption of a replacement ordinance was specified in the meeting record.