Laura Morrison, Toby Ryan, and Eric Rangel were asked to describe the aspects of Austin’s Noise Ordinance that they like, do not like, and want to change. Of these three Place 4 Austin City Council candidates, only Laura Morrison replied. Her answers to Austin Noise’s questions are shown.
Presented here is a proposal for a system to determine sound level limits specific to music venues applying for outdoor music venue permits. Limit levels are developed according to an objective, repeatable methodology that examines a venue’s potential for noise impact exclusively. Sound level limits calculated in the analysis are then attached to the venue’s OMV permit. The benefit of this system is that music venues which are located, built, and arranged with the intention of reducing residential noise impacts are implicitly rewarded with higher limits for in-venue sound levels. Being a better neighbor is automatically incentivized.
Requiring outdoor music venues to submit an acoustical analysis as part of the permitting process will solve community noise issues before they occur. It will also allow each venue to operate according to its specific situation. A permitted venue can be held to special sound level limits designed around live music, rather than generic A-weighted levels taken from the ordinance.
I should have started this blog one year earlier, as the LMTF presented their findings and recommendations back in November. Nevertheless, it can’t do any harm to share my thoughts on the Live Music Task Force Report. From an acoustics standpoint, the most important section in the report is Sound Enforcement & Control Subcommittee Recommendations. …