The city commission has once again decided to tackle the noise ordinance.  This is one of the most controversial matters that will come before the commission this year. People bring to the issue both emotion and hyperbole when discussing it. Some seem to want to make the issue solely about a few venues playing music. Noise that affects Stuart’s quality of life is more than just that.

As I sat on the dais last Monday night, I saw people take sides instead of trying to work through a problem.  And make no mistake that a quality of life issue is a problem. For that reason I made a motion to form a special committee. The committee will consist of each commissioner appointing one Stuart resident, a representative from Main Street and one from the Downtown Business Association. The committee will meet with staff and come up with recommendations for the commission within 90 days.

The issue is not only about restaurants and bars playing music. It encompasses your neighbor who has his MP3 playing so you hear it in your home. It is about the person using a table saw in his garage at night. The cleaning of grease traps after a restaurant closes. What everyone on that committee will wrestle with is how the City of Stuart will meet those competing interests… not only about a few music venues.

Stuart has a unique position on the Treasure Coast. We are a city of 16,000 residents but the downtown for 220,000 people. Our infrastructure, fire rescue and police need to provide services for every person that uses the restaurants, stores and venues in the city. This is regardless of whether they live here or not, pay taxes here or not. It is not an insignificant burden on our municipal government and budget. While the city does collect the bulk of the sales taxes in Martin County, we receive only 9% back from the county and that is after the state takes its percentage from those taxes.

I don’t buy the argument of economic ruin for the city if a few outdoor venues are required to lower the volume at which music is heard.  Our retail stores and our many restaurants attract residents and visitors alike not because of the music playing at these few venues, but because of good food, drink and merchandise being offered. There is a place for the listening of music outdoors. However, not all music is appropriate to be played outdoors in or close to residential neighborhoods.  Some of this music needs to be played at an indoor club in non- residential neighborhoods.

At the same time all residents need to understand that they have chosen to live in a city in close proximity to others. That does entail the acceptance of neighbors having parties, businesses operating and music being played. Stuart is not the suburbs though there are single family homes in residential neighborhoods. We are a place that wants to keep our “Old Florida” charm while moving forward.  Music and the arts are critical to our economic viability. Let’s come together and see if there is a way to embrace as many points of view as possible on the subject of noise.