SAN ANTONIO – A consultant hired to study the noise and music problem in San Antonio delivered the final report to the Noise Ordinance Task Force on Tuesday.
The task force has been working for about a year to come up with recommendations for the San Antonio City Council on how to mitigate amplified sound in areas where residents and businesses neighbor one another.
Committee members received the 18-page report that includes the recommendation for the use of a multi-year permit along with a sound impact plan request. It also included the regulation of decibel levels and hours of operation.
The recommendations also suggest hiring staff members who understand how sound travels to oversee the program implementation. The purpose of the permitting system is to establish a foundation, according to consultants, and allow neighbors and businesses to devise a plan on which they can agree.
The recommendation also lays out suggestions on how the permits should be issued and when they may be denied based on previous violations based on the specifics that the city approves. Businesses will not be grandfathered in, and all will be required to apply for a permit. Business owners will also be asked to get approval from residents nearby if they plan to have outdoor music.
On Tuesday, task force members discussed the recommendations but stopped short of voting for them, asking for one more meeting to include more businesses to review the proposal.
Task force members will have the power to make changes before the recommendations go through a series of public hearings, council committees and the final vote by the city council. The process could take a few months.
The recommendations are similar to changes made in Austin.
Access the report below.