The battle is finally over. Last night, Charlottesville City Council voted to amend the city’s noise ordinance for the Neighborhood Commercial Corridors, Belmont and Fontaine. The new ordinance, approved unanimously, requires restaurants in these neighborhoods to restrict sound to 65 decibels between 11pm and 6am. Council also voted to hear reports about noise in three-month increments.
The original noise ordinance called for 75 decibels between 11pm and 6am, but was deemed too loud by Belmont residents and city staff. The first amendment in front of City Council called for a decrease in decibel level to 55, but Councilor David Brown proposed in February that 60 decibels be the new limit in both Belmont and Fontaine, and was seconded by Councilor Satyendra Huja.
The noise debate in Belmont largely stems from music and bass noise coming from one place: Bel Rio. During last night’s council meeting, members of the city Police Department presented Council with noise complaints filed since January. Of the six reported, all of them came from Bel Rio.
Last night, Councilor Brown proposed to up the decibel limit to 65 and said that he was “concerned” that 60 decibels was too low a standard, one that could result in the closing of restaurants in the neighborhoods. Councilors Brown, Holly Edwards and Mayor Dave Norris supported the increase, while Councilors Kristin Szakos and Satyendra Huja did not.
“Sixty-five makes sense,” Norris told Council, adding that the new level allows “Bel Rio to be Bel Rio.”
