www.myrtlebeachonline.com/news/breaking_news/story/568403.html
Posted on Mon, Aug. 25, 2008
County to revise noise ordinance
By Mike Cherney - mcherney@thesunnews.com
Horry County officials said Monday they plan to revise the county's noise ordinance after county police get a chance to test noise meters that could help them better enforce noise requirements.
Public Safety Director Paul Whitten said he plans to purchase about 10 decibel readers for the pilot program. Some officers would be equipped with the meters, although Whitten said the details of the program still need to be worked out.
County Councilman Bob Grabowski said the ordinance revision is not inspired specifically by the spring bike rallies, which some residents have said brings unwanted noise and crime to the area, and is instead geared toward responding to the county's growth in general.
Whitten said there has been an increase in noise complaints recently as the county grows.
"I'm not saying we're targeting motorcycles with large mufflers,"
Grabowski said. "I'm not saying we're targeting this bar because they run a band late at night."
Still, Whitten said he plans to use the fall motorcycle rally in October as the main testing ground for the noise meters. The county will use the results from that event to determine how to change the noise ordinance.
County police officers wrote few noise violations during May motorcycle rallies but did issue citations for noise issues under other traffic violations. Whitten said it is easier to compel violators to pay the fine for a state traffic violation than for the county noise ordinance.
The county's current ordinance prohibits yelling in public streets that disturbs the quiet of the area. It also prohibits the use of musical instruments that can be audible from 50 feet away between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m.
For more information, read Tuesday's edition of The Sun News.
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