Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/281176
no [noise] violations in our case," he pointed out, referring to residents' complaints about the music from Bob's Boathouse. McWhorter concluded his remarks by saying, "Thank you, commissioners, for showing that local government can work at light speed. Impressive!" McWhorter first had proposed lower decibel levels to Patterson in January. She put the pro- cess in motion that led to the vote Wednesday, she told the audience. CLARIFICATIONS During their discussion, Chairman Charles Hines asked why the county's Zoning Administration staff had settled on the 65-dbA level for residential areas under the proposed ordinance when other Southwest Florida communities use 60 dbA as the threshold. Thompson replied that the recommendation was "based on taking into consideration the ambient noise. … It's hard to pinpoint a num- ber that's going to be fair to everybody without doing somewhat of an extensive study. The 65 seemed a reasonable limit to us." Robinson also pointed out that other Southwest Florida communities generally measure sound from the receiving lines, instead of the generating lines, which Sarasota County uses. That, she noted, accounts for the lower decibel levels McWhorter found through his research. Patterson explained the current ordinance was crafted over time in response to court cases. "We didn't do this deliberately to make it a noisier county," she said. "There were some judicial decisions, as I recollect, even back in the City of Sarasota years ago," regarding problems with distinguishing the offending parties when noise complaints were lodged. Bob's Boathouse sits on the bank of Phillippi Creek. File photo This is for 30 hours a week that we're hearing this. Now you may be able to understand why we're breaking down mentally, psychologically and physically, and that's not a joke. We really are. Michele Chapman Resident Montclair Drive Sarasota News Leader March 21, 2014 Page 22