From the time that cities grew larger, there’s been a clash between residents and businesses who serve them. I suppose that’s one of the many reasons American suburbs developed. You live in one place; your business services are usually in a strip center, or suburban buildings away from homes, or a strip mall. Suburbs—because they are a relatively new phenomenon—had plans in effect that allowed most of them to set residences in one area.

Bourbon Street's ambient sound exceed the noise ordinance limits.

But that’s not so in urban areas. There are always problems between people who live, work and entertain themselves in cities and the businesses who serve them. Obviously one of the more evident issues is one of noise.

Orleans Parish’s existing noise ordinance was so arcane, and had been amended so many times, that certain requirements in the ordinance were virtually impossible to determine. Some even contradicted each other. For months—I think it’s been over a year—city officials have wrestled with the “noise ordinance” and have tried to revamp it. Of course, they say they’ve tried to take residents’ and commercial interests into consideration. A draft of the current proposal is here, with administrative comments.

One thing I don’t understand in this ordinance is that, while there are certain districts designated for noise enforcement, the law is blanket, citywide. This means that if you happen to live on Bourbon Street, or Frenchmen Street, the ordinance’s noise limitations would be the same as if you live on Marshall Foch or First Street. That’s not the way it should be.

The Bourbon Street Business Alliance—whose members will probably be most affected by the ordinance’s limit of 85 dB sound, says that ambient noise levels without any music are at least at that level. (“Ambient noise” is defined by the ordinance as “all-encompassing sound existing at a specified point and time associated with a given environment. Ambient sound is usually a composite of sources near and far in a given environment, exclusive of occasional and transient intrusive sound sources and of the particular sound source or sources to be measured.”). In other words, the ambient noise levels on Bourbon—crowd noises, talking, etc—are at probably at least 85 dB without any music on the street being factored in.

I’ve pointed out in this blog that there are businesses on Bourbon (some bars, T-shirt and souvenir shops) that consistently (and illegally) blare loud music out into the street. But Bourbon Street operators are convinced that music lures patrons into their bars. But if the ambient sound on the street is already near or at proscribed sound levels, then what are these businesses who want to comply with a sound ordinance to do?

Consider your priorities on keeping live music in the city, and how important it is culturally, and tourism-wise. A saxophone creates a 90dB sound. Then check out the web site that explains the noise ordinance and its negative effects. There’s also a petition to eliminate the noise ordinance. Take a minute to read the comments posted there. And sign to make sure that music stays alive in New Orleans.