EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — The El Paso City Council approved 18 changes to the current noise ordinance during its meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 17.
The City of El Paso currently has a noise ordinance that prohibits sounds over 70 decibels between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. Reducing that decibel level was briefly discussed but no action was taken on that.
“Many of the changes were some language cleanup, but there was also some other crucial changes as far as implementing the C-weight, which is your bass and vibrations. Also clarifying where we’re measuring the violations from the property line. Previously, it was from the center of the outdoor area,” said Steve Alvarado, director of Code Enforcement with the El Paso Police Department.
The proposal also included a possible exemption for venues with a seating capacity of 7,000 people. It was later reduced to 2,500 at the request of some Council members, who said this would further benefit local businesses and venues.
Violators would first receive two “notices of violation,” but would not be cited right away, Alvarado said.
After that, violators could have their noise permits for their outdoor patios suspended for a year, he said.
Some local bar owners spoke at the meeting, opposing the changes to the ordinance.
“Two of my establishments are within 500 feet of the ballpark, which is exempt, but we are held to a stricter standard under the proposed new ordinance. This lack of transparency undermines public trust and creates an uneven playing field for small business owners,” one bar owner said.
Alvarado adds that Code Enforcement plans to work closely with the new mayor and council to monitor the revised ordinance and make any changes if necessary.
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