Quiet Down

There has been some noise (ha!) lately about the noise limits in Portland. Specifically there were worries that the Portland City Council would be limiting the decibel limit on Portland streets in the Entertainment District. Dropping it down to 55 decibels, the level of an average conversation.

That'd be unrealistic, outrageous and horrible, if it were in any way happening.

Thankfully, it isn't. The meeting that got people up in arms wasn't a full city council meeting, it was a committee. It's my understanding that in a committee, ideas are workshopped and prepared for a full proposal in front of the city council.

Then there's the fact that the committee is actually working to increase the noise levels from it's current maximum of 55 decibels in the Business district.

After I heard the clamor (ha!) I emailed city councilor Kevin Donoghue after reading a comment he left on a post at HillyTown:

Hey All,
I was forwarded this link by Ian Carlsen. I’m a member of the Public Safety Committee and can assure all of you that all we were ever considering on the Public Safety Committee was liberalizing the so-called dispersal ordinance and legalizing the entertainment that necessarilly breaks 55DB. The question of how to make the decibel limits more reasonable will be on our agenda again for our meeting in October. Please feel free to wrote me at kjdonoghue@portlandmaine.gov or find my on Facebook if you have any other questions.

Best,
Kevin

Here's a quote from his response to me:

Unfortunately, there has been some real misinformation out there and the policies being referred to are not from the City of Portland. ...All we are considering is how to INCREASE the maximum decibel limit in the Downtown Business zone from its current 55DB.

So, it looks like our city councilors are hard at work protecting the music scene.

And it looks like Eric Bettencourt has been following up the issue as well, read his letter from Councilor Marshall.

In summary:
The current noise level is 55 db in the Downtown Business Zone.
The City Council wants to increase it.
They meet again in October and welcome public comment. If you've got a comment or a concern, get in touch.

It's your city, after all.