Controversial noise bylaw in Mahone Bay back in the hands of town staff

A controversial noise bylaw proposed by the town of Mahone Bay, N.S., is back in the hands of staff for adjusting.

After a couple dozen people spoke out at a town hall meeting about the proposed bylaw last Thursday, the second reading was postponed.

The new regulations would have set a noise level threshold of 65 decibels during the day and 55 decibels at night.

The readings are so low that business owners are worried about the affects on their day-to-day operations, especially those to offer live music as a way to attract customers.

“It’s so vague and the standard that’s laid out in the bylaw is kind of a ridiculously low sound level,” said coffee shop owner, Michael Bishop. “Actually, the sound of us talking right now is literally the standard that they have set for that by law, the sound of a conversation.”

Bishop is hoping a more reasonable solution can be found.

“I know everybody that is on the council and the mayor and they are all good people and a lot of good people in this town and I would assume at the end of the day once it all gets talked about and people share their concerns that a good solution will be found,” he said.

Staff will look at tweaking the proposed noise bylaw and deliver their revisions at a council meeting in September -- one that will no doubt draw a crowd of concerned residents and business owners.

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