St. Petersburg’s Mayor Kriseman and some on City Council are out of touch with City’s Noise Issue

Robert Neff's series on the application and enforcement of the City of St. Petersburg's Noise Ordinance Continues this week.

St. Petersburg Fl
Public Opinion by author: Robert Neff

Mayor Kriseman and Council do not live near a bar or restaurant that is a REPEAT noise generator. They do not understand what it is like to be involuntarily objected to noise. Why do you think the CIA and Military uses noise as an interrogation technique?

“From 2009-2016, St. Petersburg Police issued ZERO noise citations to businesses and residences in 27,638 calls to police dispatch.”

On City Council, several members support residents but some do not. You need to ask your Council Member and Mayor Kriseman, Where do you stand?

The Noise Ordinance is being revised. The 2nd Noise Ordinance Public Meeting was held on March 29.  Currently the presentations have not indicated there will be a "live demonstration" for Mayor Kriseman and City Council. They need to sit there for an hour or longer, so they can experience why we are calling the police to report bars and restaurants for repeat noise offenses. In addition, every bar, club and restaurant owner should be required to attend.   

What about your Council Member?

My Council Member Kornell stated at the 2nd Noise Ordinance Public Meeting, I have gone to the Flamingo Resort twenty times and never had an issue. This demonstrates his lack of understanding how outdoor amplified noise impacts lives and health. He is out of touch with the noise issue. He does not understand how noise can impact lives. 

Listening to the music and bass for an hour or two because you want to is way different than being subject to the constant audible noise or bass pounding in your home and AGAINST your will for one, two or more hours or even all day. Residences do not choose to be subjected to noise. We cannot leave our own home every time the bar, club, resort or restaurant wants to crank it up for its patrons. 

We live adjacent to the Flamingo Resort 52 weeks a year. We may be subjected to the noise four times a week, five on holidays and events. That is approximately 200 days that we could be subjected to noise as compared to Council Member Kornell’s 20 visits where he wants to be there. 

Mayor Kriseman and City Council need to be educated on how sound and noise work and disturbs your health. There is scientific data on the negative effects. Any noise expert would tell him, being inside is different than being 100 or 1000’ away and against your will. Again, the live demonstration should open their eyes!

I do not believe Mayor Kriseman nor City Council Members live within 1000’ of a club, bar, or restaurant that is a repeat noise offender. They need to ask themselves, Would I want to have to live like this? 

Here is a snapshot of how one of my weekends sounded in April. Since I live over 1000' away, Noise Ordinance 11-53(4) Loud and Raucous's "both a &b" applies from 8 AM - 11 PM and 11 PM - 8 AM (Midnight on weekends and holidays). If you live closer than 1000', you only have rights from 11 PM - 8 AM.  

SATURDAY:

11:30 PM. Thumping noticeable inside the condo for some time. Called Dispatch 12:23 AM, who said, Have an officer in the area. Thumping stopped at 12:40 AM. 

12:47 AM or so. Someone was on a mic and could hear it inside the condo. Called again 12:49 AM. When they get on the mic, you never now how long the audible noise will last or what the frequency will be.

12:54 AM. Silence

SUNDAY: 

Afternoon. After listening to the thumping in the condo for a good while, called Dispatch 6:27 PM. Left name, asked to be seen. Went downstairs to the docks to wait for police. Could clearly hear the bass on the docks. My Canadian snowbirds were on the dock for sunset. Several heard it, some did not. Unfortunately, the Officer did not show or call or I would have had witnesses, like I did at Kings Mooring earlier this year. 

6:36 PM. Thumping stopped.

By the way, the weather has been great, but the noise causes me to keep the windows closed. Windows can block some audible noise. The general rule is, the more you spend on windows, the more sound will be blocked. Not everyone can afford better windows, especially on a retiree’s fixed income. However, better windows will not block bass.

Listen to a resident who called the Police on Friday, October 14, after 1 AM.

Two excerpts from two articles on Noise

Article — Noise Pollution: A Modern Plague. Medscape.

The article's section "Adverse Health Effects of Noise" discusses: 

1. Hearing Impairment 

2. Interference with Spoken Communication

3. Sleep Disturbances

4. Cardiovascular Disturbances

5. Disturbances in Mental Health,

6. Impaired Task Performance

7. Negative Social Behavior and Annoyance Reactions    

A growing body of evidence confirms that noise pollution has both temporary and permanent effects on humans (and other mammals) by way of the endocrine and autonomic nervous systems.

The noise problems of the past pale in significance when compared with those experienced by modern city dwellers; noise pollution continues to grow in extent, frequency, and severity as a result of population growth, urbanization, and technological developments.

Article — 5 US Cities with the Highest Noise Levels

Miami. A city with a reputation for its nightlife will always have noise pollution issues. Miami added a city code to publish the worst offenders, but their enforcement of this law is notoriously inconsistent."

What have nearby cities done?

Noise ordinance, with changes, gets final approval in New Port Richey | Tampa Bay Times 

"Another change, which raised eyebrows on the council and among some members of the public, allows police officers to use their own ears to determine whether to issue a citation."

This has not worked in St. Petersburg Officers (Have told me) they are afraid that they will not be able to defend themselves in court. I say, look at the call logs to see how many calls are repeat. But the Police are not doing this.

New Port Richey moves to strengthen noise ordinance | Tampa Bay Times

New Port Richey aims to give police better rules to deal with noise complaints | Tampa Bay Times 

Meanwhile, Bradenton went the other way. Nearby residents do not like this.

New Bradenton Noise Ordinance Causing Frustration

Public input is being sought on the Noise Ordinance. You may express your concerns and thoughts by emailing the Mayor at mayor@stpete.org, and your council member, council@stpete.org.

Spectrum Miami. He occasionally tests online products for companies in Silicon Valley. The value he brings is institutional knowledge from years of experience.

When the City of St. Petersburg noise issue became an issue for others and him, Mr. Neff dusted off his skills to conduct an investigation, data collection and data analysis.

The opinions here are the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Bay Post Internet or the Blog Publishers where it appears