- October 19, 2022
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Loud noise coming off the water, party music blaring late into the night and professional-grade fireworks exploding from boats docked near Jewfish Key.
They all add up to the nuisance Longboat Key resident James Haft said he's experienced alongside his Lands End neighbors. He said he's happy he spoke up last summer, and he's happier the town has set new rules and penalties regarding noise.
“I’m glad I did it the first time because otherwise, nothing would have changed,” Haft joked. “Hopefully, I won’t have to do it again.”
Haft was among the residents who advocated for and wrote to town leaders about their requests for changes on sound enforcement because the noise became unbearable from boats near Jewfish Key and Greer Island.
“Most people don’t understand how far noise travels on water,” said fellow Lands End Drive resident Pat Beavers.
Beavers said he’s noticed a difference since the town instituted an emergency ordinance ahead of the Fourth of July.
“We’re appreciative of all the officials involved and considering all our working through this to a point where both the residents and the boaters can mutually enjoy everything,” Beavers said.
Longboat Key leaders are set to make permanent changes to the town’s sound regulations during the Jan. 10 Town Commission meeting. The Town Commission voted 7-0 on the first reading of the ordinance on Dec. 6.
Commissioners will consider a second reading for a two-part ordinance: Develop a plainly audible standard of 50 feet of distance and develop decibel-level requirements.
The town could use either or both parts to enforce citation.
Longboat Key leaders are proposing the following maximum allowable sound levels:
For residential zones, mixed-use communities, tourism areas, open space, office institutional zones, waterways or public right-of-way:
For commercial zones:
In September, town staff had initially planned to allow for slightly louder sound levels in residential, public space or institutional zones at 66 dBA from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and 60 dBA from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.
Planning, Zoning and Building Director Allen Parsons said there are some changes to the equipment the town plans to purchase to measure noise.
“Costs estimates for typical decibel monitoring equipment that are more effective with fixed objects and that work effectively on land have costs that range between $2,000-$4,000,” Parsons wrote in an email to the Observer.
In September, town staff had initially planned to purchase an acoustic camera, which can pinpoint noise emitting from boats in crowded conditions on the water. Parsons said town staff does not plan to buy an acoustic camera “in the near term,” citing the approximate cost between $45,000-$55,000.
The town plans to purchase the new decibel monitoring equipment after the adoption of the ordinance.
Parsons said town staff will work between now and Jan. 10 to make some changes to the ordinance. Specifically, the updated code would allow an exception for activities in fields or public sports complexes such as golf courses, public recreational facilities and performance stages like what will be built at the Town Center site.
Town staff is also working on an exemption for property maintenance activities that don’t require a permit during the hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Also, an exemption for people speaking without using a microphone or speaker system would be an exemption from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.
As long as the Town Commission makes its final approval on the proposed ordinance, Haft said it will take at least a few months to see if the changes are effective.
“The actual test will be when we hit the warmer months like spring break,” Haft said. “That’s when this has really been an issue.”
Editor’s Note: This story has been corrected to accurately reflect the date of the Jan. 10 Town Commission meeting.
