On October 26, the St. Joseph City Commission tabled their new noise ordinance policy for evaluation not even two weeks after being passed on October 13.
This policy was originally proposed in response to residential concerns of loud music late at night. To combat this, the city set restrictions for live outdoor music past 10pm in many of St. Joseph’s residential areas, specifically for downtown businesses like the Sandbar & Grille. City Manager Emily Hackworth ultimately suggested the pause to reevaluate the ordinance after notable concerns from business owners.
“Perhaps we hadn't worked it through enough to make sure that we weren't going to have unintended consequences,” Hackworth said. “This year, there were a lot of neighbors that were very unhappy about the sound. But the problem is that sound is very subjective.”
According to Hackworth, many residential complaints exhibited a theme of “constant thumping” and “windows shaking”. She suggested that the main issue is not just sound, but bass as well.
This highlights the burning question of what the new policy could entail for future St Joseph High School football games and our various other athletic events. St. Joseph sporting matches are a notable source of school spirit and pride within the community. These competitions provide a reason for friends and family of all ages to rally and show support in the stands.
“If I get a good tackle and I hear the crowd going up, that'll get me hyped up. And that'll boost the energy and the morale of the whole team,” Chase Pitcher, 12 said–a football defensive end.
When Hackworth was asked if accommodations were made for school-sponsored events, she consulted City Attorney Laurie Schmidt on the matter to confirm what exemptions were already set in place.
“The idea is not to try to enforce the marching band or the crowd cheering on the football games,” Hackworth said. “There is language that already exists. So the noise ordinance shouldn't affect high school events, but we did just try to make it clear.”
Additionally, Hackworth highlighted the importance of striking the right balance between residential and commercial concerns regarding decibel levels.
“We really want St. Joe to be an active community. We also recognize that there are residents who live near these venues and that it can be difficult for them,” Hackworth said. “We're just trying to look at all of those pieces and figure out how to come up with something that works for as many people as possible.”
Please note: The subject interviewed, Emily Hackworth, is aunt by marriage of the writer, Emerson Hackworth.
Image by Emerson Hackworth