Mount Pleasant to discuss new noise limits after pilot program

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCSC) - For 90-days, Mount Pleasant has been testing a town-wide 55-decibel limit as part of its noise ordinance pilot program.

The purpose of the program was to collect data on excessive noise and to come up with a solution that makes sense for both residents and businesses.

“It helps give direction to the police, to the police chief, to his team,” said Mount Pleasant Town Councilman John Iacofano. “Before, it was subjective on what was too loud or not too loud, so this is giving data in which you can take an actual noise, decibel reader and actually know where you stand.”

The Mount Pleasant Police Department sent Live 5 their final month of results, after providing updates from May and June. During the month of July, police spokesperson Donald Calabrese said they received just two citizen complaints and the rest were from officers doing their own checks.

Iacofano says it was surprising to him that there was not a lot of phone calls from concerned citizens over the entire pilot period, but he was especially surprised about the complaints about Wando High School.

“We thought it was gonna be all about Shem Creek, all about live bands, all about live music, all about noise at restaurants and bars and I think the largest number came from around Wando High School,” Iacofano said.

Now with the data collected… town spokesperson Eric La Fontaine says the Police, Judicial, and Legal committee passed a motion to send to full Council for first reading recommending a daytime decibel level of 60 from 8 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. After 10:30 p.m., the decibel level would go down to 55.

“There’s going to be a learning process. You know, once this goes through council, it’s not gonna be the very next day,” Iacofano said. “The chief has promised there’s going to be a learning process, letting businesses and the public understand what the ordinance is, having conversations with them and understanding the different decibel levels involved.”

The next town council meeting will be Aug. 9 at 6 p.m.

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