After weeks of talks regarding downtown Kissimmee’s noise ordinance, city commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to make slightly stricter changes.
It was the third straight meeting the noise ordinance came up — the one that dealt with that and an approval to require a permit to sell alcohol after midnight went on for four hours.
Now, bars, restaurants and such establishments that want to play music must make sure that the volume is 85 decibels or lower until 10 p.m., 70 decibels from until midnight and then 65 decibels through 7 a.m. Those levels would be from the edge of a locale’s property. The changes are a drop from 85 decibels previously allowed until midnight.
The new ordinance’s passage was met with applause from meeting attendees, some who spoke, like bar owners and musicians who said late-night music was linked to their livelihood, and residents happy to see a gradual decrease in noise allowed after 10 p.m.
Establishments are allowed to have outdoor speakers until midnight, but they must apply for the new special permit to sell alcohol from 12-2 a.m. that was approved at a July meeting. While the noise ordinance goes into effect immediately, the alcohol permit one doesn’t until Oct. 1; City Manager Mike Steigerwald said the city would work with businesses during the seven-week overlap in ordinances.
First-time ordinance offenders would get a warning. The second offense would draw a $400 fine, and a third one would become a code enforcement violation that could rise as high as $15,000 if the fines are not paid on time. Steigerwald said that would include those with unpaid fines from the ordinance this replaces, which featured fines of $50 and $200, or police could issue a $116 non-moving violation ticket if a car’s stereo or muffler could be heard by a Kissimmee police officer from more than 25 feet away.
City officials said a noise ordinance has been on the books in one form or another since 1991, but when complaints from downtown residents jumped over 1,000 by just July of 2022 — some from overly-loud car stereos — the city started taking action.
A News-Gazette reporter took a ride down Broadway, the main downtown drag, on Thursday night/Friday morning just past midnight, and reported no establishment was playing music at that time that could be considered “loud”.
Like she’s done at every meeting this was an issue at, Mayor Jackie Espinosa — herself a downtown bar owner who said she closes nightly by 12:30 — vehemently dispelled any notion she’s trying to close down any businesses.
“I want everyone to be successful,” she said. “You say you can't control your decibel levels ... but you've been doing it. A decibel limit has been on the books since anyone of us has been here."
