City of El Paso holding community meeting as it considers making changes to noise ordinance

EL PASO, Texas - For years, there's been contentious debate between residents and business owners across El Paso over the city's noise ordinance. On Thursday, the city will be bringing up the issue of how loud businesses can get as it considers making new amendments.

The city will be hosting virtual meeting at 5:30 p.m. via Microsoft Teams to discuss the proposed amendments. You can click here for the link to the meeting.

The city made several changes to the ordinance between 2018 and 2019. The discussion was put on hold due to the pandemic after city council wanted more data on noise readings across the city.

According to a city spokesperson, from April 22, 2021 through January 22, 2022, there have been a total of 7,949 noise readings citywide. There were only 92 citations issued by police and code enforcement.

Here is a complete list from the city of the changes that could be made to the Noise Ordinance and the Sound Amplification Permit Ordinance:

The proposed revisions for Title 9 (Health and Safety) include:

• Reasonable Sensibilities Standard: Clarifying violations can occur at any time of the day if the noise unreasonably disturbs or interferes with the sleep, peace, comfort, or repose of a person of reasonable sensibilities
• Location of Reading: Revising location from the property line of the property receiving the noise to the property line of the property producing the noise
• Decibel Level: Lowering from 70 dB to 65 dB
• Vibration Violations: Revising requirements from adjoining properties to the affected property.
• Penalties: The city may, by Chapter 54 of the Texas Local Government Code, bring civil action against a person violating a provision of this chapter. The civil action may include civil penalties of up to $1,000/day

The proposed revisions for Title 5 (Business License and Permit Regulations) include:

• Revising the definition of “Outdoor Area” to clarify that roll-up style doors, open doors, and windows constitute an outdoor area
• Lowering decibel level from 70 dB to 65 dB
• Expanding location requirement from 350 feet to 500 feet from residences
• Requiring written notice to neighbors expanded from 300 feet to 500 feet; written responses expanded from 150 feet to 300 feet
• Lowering revocation threshold from ten citations to two citations
• Clarifying that the City may seek injunctive relief for violations under the Texas Local Government Code

If you can not attend the virtual meeting, you can attend public hearing at 9 a.m. Tuesday, March 1 during the City Council meeting.