El Paso City Council passes noise ordinance and amplified sound permit amendments

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- El Paso City Council passed changes to the City's noise ordinance and amplified sound permit on Tuesday, December 17.

Steve Alvarado, Code Enforcement Director with the El Paso Police Department, provided the presentation to the council as he went over the proposed recommendations.

Alvarado explained this had been a lengthy process since he started working for the City in 2022, and in 2023, council gave his office direction to hire a consultant. According to Alvarado, a total of 43 community meetings were held to receive input for the recommendations.

A total of 18 noise ordinance and amplified sound permit changes and additions were passed. Some of these included:

• Sound Permit & Noise - An exception for stadium events or events at venues with a seating capacity exceeding 2,500. This would include the new amphitheater the City is planning to construct.
• Sound Permit - Amending the definition of "outdoor area". Alvarado said this would tell the City where to take the sound reading from the property line. He says they currently do it from the center of the outdoor area.
• Sound Permit - Increasing notification radiuses for property owners in the area. This would change from 150 ft to 300 ft the radius for those who can appeal the sound permit application. Alvarado says that if 25% of residents in that 300 ft radius write a letter opposing the application then the permit is denied by the permit official. Additionally, this would expand from 300 ft to 500 ft for neighbors to be notified in writing.
• Sound Permit - Reducing the number of violations for suspensions or licenses being revoked from 10 to 2 violations per year.
• Noise - Introducing "C" level readings that can measure bass and vibration. Alvarado says many of the complaints received by police come from the bass and vibration many establishments produce.
• Noise - Amend the location of readings from the property receiving the noise to the property producing the noise.

The recommended changes passed with a vote of 5-3. Representative Acevedo, Molinar, and Salcido voted against the changes.

Additionally, the City will now be able to seek a a penalty of up to $1,000 per day for establishments that violate noise regulations. Alvarado told ABC-7 that the purpose of this penalty is to hold businesses accountable and to encourage compliance with the rules.