Mounting citizen and official opposition appears to have shut down a proposed noise ordinance born from resident complaints about downtown Louisville’s late-night music scene.
Wary that the proposed ordinance could limit much-needed sales tax revenue and general enjoyment on its blossoming Main Street — as well as questions over whether the city could prosecute the violations — Louisville’s City Council on Tuesday directed staff not to bring back the issue at a later date.
Under the proposal, commercial properties would be limited to 65 dBA overnight between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.; the rest of the day, they would be limited to 70 dBA.
To get an idea of how the limitations would impact the city’s downtown, 60 dBA is about the level of sound generated by conversation in a restaurant or its background music at 100 feet away, according to IAC Acoustics, a manufacturer of noise control products. On the other end of the spectrum, a jet engine registers about 140 dBA.
“I’d hope the City Council chooses not to regulate music in our city,” said resident Joel Hayes, who showed up Tuesday night with a mandolin hung from his shoulder. “I think that music is an art form with intrinsic value on its own. The hundreds of people who either play music or listen to music I think should outweigh an average of four complaints a year.”
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