McCORDSVILLE – After discussion on the noise ordinance that would deal with special events in the town of McCordsville, the town council motioned to table the ordinance until the June meeting.
When looking at the definition of what constitutes a special event, town council member Scott Jones said that it may hinder businesses in the town or eventually in the town square that will play music, such as a restaurant with a patio that plays recorded music, and that if a special event permit is required it would hinder them to only eight events in one calendar year, according to the new ordinance.
The definition in the ordinance states that a special event is “an outdoor gathering in a non-residential district to which people are invited or are encouraged to attend” and includes one or more of the following; reasonably anticipated to cause an impact the normal flow of traffic and/or require the temporary closure of public/private streets or rights-of-way to accommodate the event; the presentation of live or recorded vocal or instrumental music by means of amplified sound; anticipated to exceed the location’s designated parking spaces available; and/or attendance of 500 or more.
Town council president Greg Brewer said that this ordinance is to help administration be aware of any larger events happening in McCordsville that are larger than normal gatherings – which may include temporary structures – and that public safety is aware of those situations.
Brewer also said he would like to add the words advertised or promoted to the definition of a special event.
Town council member Dr. Bryan Burney agreed with Brewer, suggesting that they reconfigure the requirements to list that an event that has an attendance of 500 or more, and the presentation of live or recorded music. Jones suggested to just take out the presentation of live or recorded music music to help with those businesses who may play music, but leaving the other condition in as is would help target the larger special events.
Town council member Dr. John Price, who is also on the committee that has been working on the ordinance, said he had some concerns about a last-minute change to the ordinance since there has been hours of work into developing the new ordinance.
“I’m not as concerned with some hypothetical situation that’s going to happen at some point in the future as I am the impact we have with current citizens,” said Price, further adding if they remove the presentation of live or recorded music then it will weaken the ordinance.
Dr. Burney said that with Jones raising a valid point and being in agreement with Brewer from the public safety standpoint, he wanted to take more time to work on the ordinance and get it right.
The ordinance was tabled to go back to the committee to further work on the language in the ordinance.
