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APPROVED 1/24/2005 <br />ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />QUARTERLY PUBLIC HEARING <br />NOVEMBER 22, 2004 <br />7:30 p.m. <br />The Orange County Board of Commissioners met for a public hearing on Monday, November <br />22, 2004 at 7:30 p.m. in the F. Gordon Battle Courtroom in Hillsborough, North Carolina. <br />COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Barry Jacobs, Alice M. Gordon, and <br />Moses Carey <br />COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: Margaret Brown, Stephen Halkiotis <br />COUNTY ATTORNEY PRESENT: Geoff Gledhill, S. Sean Borhanian <br />COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager John M. Link, Jr., and Clerk to the Board <br />Donna S. Baker (All other staff members will be identified appropriately below) <br />NOTE: ALL DOCUMENTS REFERRED TO IN THESE MINUTES ARE IN THE PERMANENT <br />AGENDA FILE IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE <br />A. OPENING REMARKS FROM THE CHAIR <br />B. PUBLIC CHARGE <br />The Chair dispensed with the reading of the public charge. <br />C. PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS <br />1. Orange County Noise Ordinance <br />Amendments to address: <br />a. Maximum frequency and intensity standards of noise emanating from properties and <br />other general activities: <br />b. Specific protocol used to measure ambient community noise levels and specific <br />event and noise episodes; <br />c. Enforcement; <br />d. Time of day restrictions on decibel levels; and <br />e. Special provisions far community events. <br />Planning Director Craig Benedict addressed this item. He said that the County noise <br />ordinance has been around far 20 years. There have been some complaints recently in the <br />community about noise, and trying to enforce the existing ordinance related to these new noises <br />and interpretations has been difficult. There are six different aspects to address - a definition <br />section in the ordinance, clarifying noise standards and haw noise is measured, what activities <br />are exempt from the noise ordinance, the hours of operation for noises at certain levels, a list of <br />nuisances that were not in the existing ordinance, and a list of the penalties or enforcement <br />options. <br />He clarified that the noise ordinance is a general County ordinance and not a zoning ar <br />subdivision ordinance, and is enforced by the Sheriff's Department. He made reference to page <br />11 of the agenda package, which is incorporated by reference, and explained each article. <br />He said that one way to modify the ordinance would be to shorten the period for the <br />higher allowed decibel rating -from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the 60 rating and from 7:00 p.m. to <br />8:00 at the 50 rating. The decibel ratings could also be lowered a little. <br />