The city of Isle of Palms apparently inched closer to establishing a new noise ordinance Aug. 1, when the IOP Council’s Public Safety Committee discussed a sound monitoring study carried out for Wild Dunes Resort and asked a representative of the resort to return for the Council’s Aug. 22 meeting.
Much of the controversy over the long-discussed proposed new ordinance revolves around the Sweetgrass Inn and Wild Dunes homeowners who live near the hotel.
Terri Haack, senior vice president of Lowe, part owner of the resort, presented the full report – compiled by BRC Acoustics & Audiovisual Design of Seattle – to the committee after originally informing the city that it would receive only the executive summary. At a July 25 meeting, Council Member Scott Pierce asked for the entire report.
Al Clouse, who owns a home within shouting distance of the Sweetgrass Inn, spoke during the citizens’ comments part of the Public Safety meeting, making what he said was his 18th presentation to the Council and its committees in an effort to gain some relief from the noise emanating from the hotel.
According to Clouse, amplified music coming from the hotel “is unlawful and the core of the very nuisance which has been created.”
Clouse’s presentation was cut short twice – first by Committee Chair Jimmy Ward, who warned him about personal attacks when he accused Committee Member Jan Anderson of having a conflict of interest concerning noise issues in Wild Dunes because her husband serves as president of the Wild Dunes Community Association. Later, Anderson told Clouse personal attacks would not be permitted when he asked: “Mrs. Haack. Is there a new program you are offering? Instead of the socially accepted bring your own bottle, is the hotel now offering a bring your own amplifier?”
The report was based on sound monitoring at the hotel: 101.5 hours between Feb. 22 and Feb. 26; 62.5 hours between June 11 and June 14; and 20 hours on July 22 and July 23. Under the proposed ordinance, sound level limits for the Sweetgrass Inn would be 75 decibels from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and 55 decibels from 10 p.m. to 10 a.m. According to a table in the report, 70 to 80 decibels would be comparable to a busy street, while 50 to 60 would compare to light traffic.
Haack pointed out that the city’s current sound ordinance is “very subjective and very difficult to enforce.”
“The draft ordinance states that a violation occurs when sound readings exceed the limits for a period of 30 seconds or when readings exceed the limit for less than 30 seconds but occur more than six times within two minutes,” she said. “This will take a trained person to validate the results when called to take a reading. Are we prepared to ensure that these complicated readings will be accurate?”
She added that “it’s important that the proposed noise ordinance level of 75 decibels for commercial property remain at 75 decibels or a bit higher for amplified music. This will allow commercial properties to operate within the guidelines for the surrounding neighborhoods to be protected.”
“I understand you have a business to run. I’m just trying to look out for the neighbors,” Ward told Haack. “I’m concerned with the surrounding peace and quiet that I think the neighbors deserve.”
“We do want to be a good neighbor and we respect the families that live around the Sweetgrass Inn,” Haack said.
Anderson closed the committee meeting with a statement that obviously was aimed at Clouse’s repeated efforts to have her removed from discussions concerning Wild Dunes. She previously announced that the state Ethics Commission found nothing wrong with her participating in deliberations that have to do with the resort.
“I would just like to say if anyone has an ethics concern by anyone on City Council, they are free to submit an application to the South Carolina Ethics Commission for an opinion,” Anderson said. “I have submitted a question to the Ethics Commission and received a response from the Commission that I have posted and anyone else can do the same, but I will not be submitting another question at this time.”
