Daniel Figueroa IV
Tampa City Council Member John Dingfelder called it “buyer’s remorse.”
Three weeks ago, the Council passed a controversial new noise ordinance, despite receiving massive pushback from small business owners, mostly those who provide nightlife and entertainment. The new ordinance would eliminate outdoor amplified sound in the city after midnight, reduce acceptable noise levels after 1 a.m. and give police more freedom in citing noise violations.
“I remember at the end of that meeting (thinking) I don’t like this ordinance but it’s in the spirit of compromise,” Dingfelder said Thursday. “But I think we sent the wrong message. And I think we can fix that and send the right message.”
During Thursday’s Council meeting, a split-decision sparked the process to repeal the ordinance that various administrations have been working on for nearly two decades.
Council Member Luis Viera was absent for the initial vote, but said Thursday he would’ve voted no, especially given the amount of public outcry.
“You’re making all these businesses in an area that’s been hammered over the last year-and-a-half hire attorneys and do their due diligences responsible business owners want to do and then go, ‘OK, well we’re going to look at it again in two months.’ I would’ve respectfully voted no on this,” Viera said.
The City Council passed the ordinance Jan. 13 with the caveat that there would be significant changes — if not a complete overhaul — before the ordinance’s effective date six months from passage. A second ordinance was passed to direct city staff to engage the public and business owners so that new rules wouldn’t do harm to responsible owners and stewards of the community.
Small business owners, like Crowbar’s Tom DeGeorge, argued the one-size-fits-all approach to the city’s noise issues might work for residential areas. But areas like Ybor City that serve as nightlife and entertainment hubs could be crushed by restrictive rules.
“I think it’s good that they’re taking a pause and going forward with meetings,” DeGeorge said. “I hope this is a lesson.”
DeGeorge said part of the reason there was such outcry is the city didn’t engage with small business owners. He said he and others are more than willing to work with city staff to create positive change. He said he’s not trying to stop the ordinance en masse, but wants to make sure it’s done in a way that can be effectively implemented. That task, he said, would be easier with community backing.
“You’re playing with people’s lives. We’ve suffered enough and we’re not even saying ‘leave us alone’. We’re saying ‘put us to work’,” DeGeorge said. “If you’re not talking to us about these issues, who are you talking to about this stuff?”
City staff will now draft an ordinance repealing the new rules. The City Council will then hold a first reading vote, followed by a second reading and public hearing at a later meeting before a repeal goes into effect.
Council members Bill Carlson, Joe Citro and Charlie Miranda voted against starting a repeal process. Miranda was concerned the repeal would leave the city without any noise ordinance. However, the city’s legal department assured the Council it would only repeal the amendments, leaving the current ordinance intact.
The city plans to move forward with its community engagement meetings and an April 28 workshop to determine how it can implement community feedback in a new noise ordinance.
2 comments
Anthony Chiampa
February 6, 2022 at 8:23 pm
Just another example of business in Florida taking priority over the wellbeing of it’s residents.
No surprise here.
Amy Patterson
February 8, 2022 at 11:37 am
This reminds me of having kids and asking them to turn their music down. They can still have fun and listen to the music. It just separates us from a party we don’t want invited to. They can have fun without us being there. It’s about compromise.
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