T-TOWN COMMISSION MUFFLES NOISE ORDINANCE

Temecula, California – In a surprisingly speedy resolution to the city’s Planning Commission drawn up by Maryann Edwards and presented at last evening’s Commission meeting by Emery Papp, a senior planner with a soft tone of voice, the Commission articulated many objections to the proposed noise ordinance chapter 9.20 addition which would effectively clamp down on private homeowners’ construction projects, pets, and band members who practice at home. Commission opponents pointed out that a statewide noise ordinance already exists which covers the whole state, including Temecula, and a noise ordinance for the city itself also is on the books based on the County of Riverside ordanaces adopted when the city incorporated.

“I get concerned when we start piling up all these (new) laws for enforcement sake,” said PC Ron Guerriero. Even PC Chairman Dennis Chiniaeff expressed, “I’m surprised this came up on this agenda and so soon. I’m not sure we had all the community stakeholders in place before we delved into this (proposal).”

In an effort to make this controversial ‘noise’ ordinance seem more like ‘business as usual’ and not ‘something created in a vacuum’ as one Commission member put it, Maryann Edwards offered this explanation, “This is meant to help set rules and guidelines for people who have to put up with noise problems as well as establish the same rules and guidelines for people who want to make noise. This is nothing new. There are other cities with noise ordinances, and we in Temecula are in need of one.”

Let’s put this ‘ordinance’ under The Review’s looking glass and see who this proposed guideline would really effect, and why. First there are five categories specified in enforcement; audio equipment, power tools, live music, construction, and animals. All five categories have a time limit except live music, which means a neighbor down the street who doesn’t like a band practice, the level of musicianship, or the type of music being played, regardless of whether it occurs at 2PM in the afternoon, could call the police to shut it down. Of course, the City would be automatically exempt so any time they wanted to and for any event, the City’s music could blast on through the night. Also anyone willing to pony up the $3-4000 for a SUP (Special Use Permit) would be allowed to make some ‘noise’ on a one time basis. To me that seems pretty excessive for a band practice.

It came out that the ‘real’ reason for this isn’t Debbie Ubnoske’s, “During the past year, we have received multiple complaints from residents reporting a loud neighbor,” but that the neighbors who have complained are afraid of neighborhood retaliation. It would seem, to me, that a little common sense and Christian consideration, along with a little less fear of kids with hair spikes, tats, and piercings who don’t play classic rock or Liberace, could be used to avoid from turning all of Temecula into a retirement village.

America isn’t a ‘melting pot’ but a salad, where sometimes you just have to close your window and pump up the volume on your Matlock rerun, especially at five o’clock in the afternoon. I urge everyone, whether for or against this ordinance, to pack the August 1^st Commission meeting when this ordinance resurfaces at or around 6PM. Once it’s set in stone, getting it reversed or amended will be next to impossible. Also a special thanks to Nicole ‘Paul Revere’ Sack from The Californian for the timely print article alert to new music lovers and band members alike.