The City Council of Park City changed the noise ordinance in November 2017 allowing businesses in commercially zoned areas to create noise extending to residential zones. This noise level now allowed is higher than major metropolitan cities.

This doesn't seem right for our little town.

We'd like to change that and are asking the City Council to reconsider their ordinance and make small changes that will keep residents and businesses happy!

Sign the petition to the right.

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The details:

1) Prohibit commercial level noise in residential zones

New Ordinance: Before the City Council changed the noise ordinance, businesses were not allowed to create evening noise that extended past their property line. Now business in commercially zoned areas can create noise that extends into residential neighborhoods up the newly passed commercial max of 60 decibels or db(a). This far exceeds the 45db(a) that experts recommend.

Proposal: Change the language in the ordinance from “When a noise source can be identified and its noise measured in more than one land use category, the limits of the least restrictive use shall apply” to “most restrictive use” so that residents can sleep at night and property values are protected.

2) Put noise level limits in place that allow residents to sleep

New Ordinance : Before the City Council changed the noise ordinance it was illegal to generate noise that was “plainly audible” past the property line of the source of the noise regardless of land use. Under the new noise ordinance commercial zones can make noise up to 60db(a) in the middle of the night and residential zones can be as loud as 50db(a). This is 5bd(a) higher than most major metropolitan cities and above what health experts recommend.

Proposal: Change the residential night time max to 45db(a)

3) Increase enforcement

New Ordinance: Violating the noise ordinance is now considered a low level misdemeanor with a maximum fine of $750 with no increase for revenue generating businesses or repeat offenders. Other cites that seek to attract arts and entertainment have hefty fines of thousands of dollars in place to prevent bands and concert venues from breaking noise ordinances.

Proposal: Infraction on first violation should be changed to Class C misdemeanors and then Class B Misdemeanors on subsequent violations. The ordiance should also include separate enforcement language and fines for commercial violators after 10pm.