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Cocoa Beach voting on new sound ordinance for the first time in 60 years

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Published  July 20, 2023 7:35pm EDT
Brevard County
FOX 35 Orlando

Cocoa Beach may adopt new sound ordinance

Noise in the city has been a hot topic in the town for months. Some say downtown nightlife is getting out of hand while others see the growth as good. On Thursday night, the City Commission will vote for the final time on proposed changes to increase "quiet hours" in the community. Over the weekend, people captured large crowds and loud music in downtown Cocoa Beach. Music events are happening more often, and some longtime residents don’t see the events as a bother.

COCOA BEACH, Fla. - Noise in the city has been a hot topic in the town for months. Some say downtown nightlife is getting out of hand while others see the growth as good.

On Thursday night, the City Commission will vote for the final time on proposed changes to increase "quiet hours" in the community.

Over the weekend, people captured large crowds and loud music in downtown Cocoa Beach. Music events are happening more often, and some longtime residents don’t see the events as a bother.

"I’m not disturbed in my backward by the music coming from any of those businesses. Sometimes you can hear it a little bit, but it’s not overpowering," said Dennis Pryzgoda who is not in favor of a more restrictive noise ordinance. He lives on the outskirts of downtown.

Just a few houses away from Pryzgoda, other neighbors aren’t a fan of the late-night music.

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"The music is so loud that I can be in my living room watching television, and we have to turn the volume way up on the tv because the music is so loud. That’s how bad it is," said Jenny Burris who does support updating noise rules in the city.

The new noise ordinance would require businesses to turn down the music by 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and by 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. With changes looming, businesses aren’t happy.

Loud music disturbing Cocoa Beach residents

Cocoa Beach commissioners say loud music is disturbing the peace of longtime residents, and they want to update the current noise ordinance. Right now, the volume’s supposed to get quieter at 11 p.m., but a new proposal would move that up to 9 p.m. on weeknights.

"If they shut it down at 9 p.m., all the businesses here are going to fail," said Ingrid Llaverias who runs Area 142 which is a fairly new business in the downtown core of Cocoa Beach.

Cocoa Beach police would enforce the new rules, and the commission is also considering fines of up to $1,000 if violations continue.

"This is getting us to where we can manage growth. It’s not an attempt to stifle growth. It’s just – we have a 60-year-old ordinance. We can’t manage that. We can’t grow with that smartly, so this gets a nice clean standard," said Jeremy Hutcherson who’s spearheading the ordinance update.

The city is trying to strike a balance between downtown growth and a peaceful community. It isn’t easy when homeowners living on the same street sing a different tune about the noise.

"When the music is so loud that it’s disturbing you inside your house – that’s too much," Burris said.

"I can tell you, it’s not overpowering. It’s not disturbing me," Pryzgoda concluded.

Businesses would be able to apply for exceptions to host special events or holiday activities, but the City Commission would have final say for approval. The vote will take place at Thursday’s 7 p.m. city meeting.