Brunswick tables amendment to city's noise ordinance

BRUNSWICK — The amendment to Brunswick's noise ordinance was pulled from Monday's agenda after residents expressed concerns of the impact it could have on businesses with live music. The amendment would have the noise ordinance go from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. the following day on Fridays and Saturdays. Currently, it starts at midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. There is no proposed change for Sundays through Thursdays in which the noise ordinance is in place from 9 p.m. to 8 a.m. the following day. Vice Mayor Nick Hanek said the amendment came about as a potential solution for residents who are having issues with noise at businesses. "They called the police for help, and the police said, 'I can't enforce this, given this language,'" he said. "We want to try to help these people." Brunswick has changed a lot since the noise ordinance was originally implemented in 1994, Hanek said. "I think it needs a deeper dive and a serious look at this," he said. "There was no intention whatsoever by the safety forces or this Council to sneak something in. There were citizens who complained, and the police and the government tried to help them." Hanek said there has also been a lot of misinformation lately regarding how the city's government works. For instance, Brunswick does not hold "emergency meetings" because it is not part of the city's charter. There can be special meetings, but they are infrequent. Proposed legislation in the city has three readings, and then there is a 30-day period before it can be enacted, he said. Suspension of rules allows Council to vote on legislation on a first or second reading. The term "emergency" is used when the 30-day period is waived for a piece of legislation, Hanek said. Legislation that falls under the "normal course of municipal business" can be passed as an emergency to remove the waiting period. "(We) just had a charter review," he said. "None of the Council members challenged the emergency provision. The charter looked at it, found it appropriate and did not make changes to the emergency provision and what that language means and does not mean." Hanek said the noise ordinance amendment will be assigned to one of the city's committees for further discussion. "What I'm hoping will happen is that businesses will look to be good neighbors in the areas where they're affected," he said. "Those businesses know who they are, and for the most part, usually comply and work toward it. Everyone wants the businesses to succeed, and everyone wants residents to be OK." Contact reporter Madisyn Woodring at (330) 721-4049 or mwoodring@medina-gazette.com.