Mayor to police: Back off noise enforcement

 

Last updated 8/5/2014 at 7:11pm



Electric City Mayor Jerry Sands has advised the Grand Coulee Police Department to back off enforcing the city’s noise ordinance as it relates to music at the Electric City Bar and Grille and other places in the city.

Sands told three members at the department office, including police Chief Mel Hunt, last Friday that he was going to allow the bar’s music to continue with greater-than-normal noise until 11 p.m.

The city’s ordinance reads: “No person, whether or not that person is in actual possession of the noise source, shall create, continue or cause to be created or continued, or allow to be created or continued, any public disturbance noise. ‘Public disturbance noise’ means a noise which originates from the real or personal property of any person, while the person is in possession or control of such property, and which noise unreasonably interferes with the peace, comfort and repose of a reasonable person of ordinary sensitivities, including owners or possessors of real property. Any sound made by the use of a musical instrument, whistle, sound amplifier, juke box, radio, television, or other similar device, which emanates from a building, structure, or property between the hours of 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. and is received within a residential district. …”

The ordinance continues, “Exceptions may be granted to any person if findings are made that that any such exception is in the public interest and that the proposed activity will have a substantial public participation, i.e., festivals, parades and other community celebrations.”

On weekends, music is played in the attached beer garden, and the loud volume has resulted in complaints.

Sands said that the exception is temporary and covers all places that might have live music.

“It will be on the city’s council agenda Aug.12, for additional discussion,” Sands said.

The mayor noted that at 11 p.m. the music must be turned down until it ends at midnight.

If there is an issue between 11 and 12, Sands told the police department that officers are to call the bar or place where the loud music is coming from and advise them to turn the music down.

If members of the community are upset with the loud music they have the option to call the mayor or attend the next Electric City council meeting to complain.

Not too long ago, police issued the Electric City Bar and Grill a $250 citation for its music being too loud.

Patrolmen in the department were issued an email about Mayor Sands’ comments.

 

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