WICHITA FALLS ( KFDX/KJTL ) — As the downtown district here in Wichita Falls continues to grow, so too do the noise complaints among residents.

At yesterday’s city council meeting, officials said they don’t believe this is a big issue, but they want to be proactive instead of reactive.

This mindset prompted city officials to acknowledge the complaints and open up the floor to allow citizens and the council to decide whether or not there should be additional special regulations relating to noise ordinances in the downtown area; that being said, the council drafted an ordinance based off Austin’s outdoor noise ordinance modeled around the mixed use of the area while still allowing instances of excessive noise.

The general rules are that outdoor music or loud noises are prohibited within the district between 10:30 p.m. and 7 a.m.

With maximum sound levels being 70dB without a permit and 85dB with a permit. Permits are required for the use of sound equipment people can hear outside or if you’re hosting a music event outdoors.

Violators can face fines of up to $500 for breaking the noise ordinance, and the city would retain the ability to restrict or revoke permits. Dwayne Jackson with the Wichita Theatre said this is long overdue.

“Every time an event takes place if it has an outdoor stage, it has a dramatic impact on our audience when we’re doing shows on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon. I had over $10,000 worth of tickets in my auditorium, and it was so bad that I was on the verge of canceling my event midstream because the audience was being distracted, and that is not right. There needs to be some kind of ordinance that ties all of this together,” Jackson said.

Tom Taylor discussed potential legal risks this ordinance might bring.

“Let’s say you shut down an event that cost $10,000 just to put on; I’m not even talking about that lost revenue. If I’m the owner or the person that had promoted this thing and you just cost me $40,000, I’m going to look at legal action against you,” Taylor said.

Officials listened to both sides and agreed this was a good start and will review the current ordinance and discuss changes at a later date.

There will be exceptions for city workers or permit-approved events like parades.

In order to obtain a permit, you must fill out the required paperwork and pay the fee. Permits are valid for 12 months or 6 months for outdoor music venues.

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