Fullerton officials are set to decide Tuesday evening on whether to update the noise ordinance for the city’s busy downtown area.
According to legislative documents, the proposed amendment would affect the Central Business District and general commercial zones, including outdoor entertainment venues. It would require that noise standards be set for this area with specific provisions for outdoor entertainment.
Per Voice of O.C., the Fullerton Transportation Center’s current plan calls for sound in urban areas near the train station not exceed 75 decibels for five minutes within an hour between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. Sounds in those spots cannot exceed 80 decibels for one minute within an hour in the same timeframe.
The proposed ordinance, however, would drop the threshold to 65 decibels for five minutes within an hour and 70 dB for one minute within an hour. The only exceptions are Friday and Saturday nights and early Sunday morning, where it goes to 75 decibels for five minutes and 80 for one minute.
When it comes to outdoor venues, the ordinance would allow open-air entertainment, such as live music, in the downtown area between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. as long as the sound doesn’t exceed 80 decibels at the business’ property line.
For comparison, here’s how loud those levels are, according to Yale University’s Environmental Health and Safety Department:
- 60-65 dB: Business office
- 60-70 dB: Normal conversation
- 75 dB: Vacuum cleaner
- 75-85 dB: Chamber music in a small auditorium
- 80 dB: A phone’s dial tone
- 85 dB: City traffic
Sustained exposure to sounds between 80 and 90 decibels is when hearing loss can occur, Yale experts said. By the time you reach 125 dB, that’s when ear pain begins.
KTLA Orange County Bureau Chief Chip Yost spoke with Fullerton Mayor Fred Jung on Tuesday morning, who said that the idea for the proposal did not come from any outstanding complaints about bars and restaurants in downtown Fullerton; rather, Jung explained that the city’s current ordinance is simply outdated and unenforceable.
“I think you have to be conscious of the fact that people are going to be living downtown in these vibrant communities,” Jung said. “Most of these noise ordinances were designed in the ’80s, ’70s, ’60s and they haven’t been updated since.”
The proposed ordinance also comes as the city of Fullerton moves forward with a plan to build new housing in the downtown area as part of a state mandate. The already noisy downtown area’s volume would only increase as units are built, and with new residents set to move in, officials are looking to avoid any problems by crafting a new ordinance beforehand, taking into account the needs of businesses and the future residents.
The Fullerton City Council will decide on the proposal at Tuesday evening’s City Council meeting, set for 5:30 p.m. at the Council Chambers, located at 303 W. Commonwealth Ave. Tuesday will serve as the first reading; if it passes, the proposal will go through a second reading before being officially signed into law.
The post Shh…Fullerton might be getting quieter appeared first on KTLA.
