County Noise Ordinance Tabled

The county's first enforceable noise ordinance has been indefinitely delayed after a 4-2 vote, with one abstaining, tabled the issue Monday during the council's regular meeting in St. George.

Councilmen Larry Hargett and Richard Rosebrock opposed the motion to table, and Councilman George Bailey abstained from the vote. 

Opponents of the noise ordinance questioned having a noise ordinance because of enforceability issues and fears that the ordinance would create a hardship on rural residents or residents going to work early, according to Hargett. 

"There's a lot of misinformation," Hargett said, adding that the ordinance was developed by a seven-person committee, which included elected officials and the county sheriff. 

Hargett said he wasn't ready to let the ordinance die on the table. He said he would bring it up again, but it will take a councilman who voted for the tabling to bring it back before council. 

As currently written — to view click the document on the right of this story — violations are based on intensity of noise, general characteristics of the area where the noise is occurring, time of day or night the noise happens, reasonable quiet expected at the location, and impediment for a driver from hearing emergency sirens.

A maximum penalty is $500 and/or imprisonment for less than 30 days.

Exceptions to the ordinance include church bells, emergency vehicle sirens, timber harvesting and milling during daylight hours, noise from power equipment during daylight hours, noise generated by construction during daylight hours unless a variance is granted, public events such as parades, idling vehicles at a commercial establishment and aircraft noise.

Persons, businesses and entities may apply for variances based on nature, location and hardship.