Diners who've had the experience of a blast of racket rattling the dishes at downtown Greenville's outdoor eateries might approve of City Council's move to sharpen the teeth of the noise laws.
The first changes to the city's noise ordinance in nearly twenty years is on track to final approval. Council members voted unanimously at Mondays second reading to amend the law allowing police to ticket drivers if their vehicle makes more noise, measured in decibels, than the law allows. Someone has to first file a complaint under the existing statute.
Police Chief Howie Thompson says officers will write warning tickets for a while until the ordinance get third reading approval, but after that violators could face fines from one hundred to five hundred dollars.
Thompson added, “We are here to keep downtown safe, but we want it to also be enjoyable for everybody."
