Raleigh updated noise ordinance to take effect in February: 'Reasonable person standards'

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- The city of Raleigh is continuing its efforts to turn down the volume.

On Tuesday, Raleigh City Council passed an updated noise ordinance in the city that does away with decibels as the benchmark for enforcement. Instead, the city will move to a "reasonable person standard" -- meaning enforcement of the new rules will depend on what an average, or "reasonable" person would consider being "unreasonable noise".

Angela Floyd has lived in Glenwood South for nine years and supports broader measures to help keep noise down late at night.

"What we have isn't working so I'm very willing for the city to try something else," Floyd said.

Floyd said she understands that the Glenwood South entertainment district is an important money-maker for the city, but wants to find some sort of compromise.

"We want Raleigh to have charm," she said. "And, you know, the thumping music late at night into the wee hours and the people screaming that that's not vibrancy, it's raucous behavior."

Specifically, the updated rules would apply to "unreasonable noise" that's audible more than 150 feet away between 11 pm and 7 am, and more than 300 feet away between 7 am and 11 pm. That could broaden the scope of what qualifies -- after critics of the decibel system noted the technology used was unreliable and could be manipulated after noise reports were phoned in.

The new measure passed 6-2 on Tuesday, with councilmembers Black and Jones dissenting.

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"We for years have had a real hard time under the current ordinance, you know, having any kind of feedback from the police," Floyd said. "They're not able to implement or stop the noise. This new policy we have an opportunity to do that."

The new policy has also led to new questions about enforcement as some are concerned the policy is too vague and subjective. The last time the matter was discussed at City Council, RPD said they're training officers on how to judge potential violations and respond under the new system.

"We can get all the calls in the world from people that are upset about the noise, but if there's no violation there, then officers can't and won't issue a violation," said RPD captain Robert Bowen on December 5th.

The new ordinance also stiffens fines for violators -- $250 for the first violation, and $500 for each violation in the 12 months thereafter. It comes one month after Raleigh City Council passed a separate noise mitigation measure that changed the rules that govern bars and nightlife spots in the city.