A P.G. Council majority signals it's ready to raise decibel limits for music downtown.

The Pacific Grove City Council voted 4-2 in favor of amending the city's noise ordinance to raise the allowable decibel level for music at downtown venues that sell alcohol from 70 to 80, on Wednesday, March 19. The ordinance reflecting the change will come back to the council at a future meeting for approval.

Councilmember Joe Amelio brought the idea forward, saying it was a needed change to help downtown businesses by attracting more people downtown. Some locals have filed complaints about the music, at least 12 in the last six months.

Amelio's slide presentation in favor of the change was met with a counter-presentation by Councilmember Paul Walkingstick, who researched noise ordinances in neighboring cities, as well as big cities like San Francisco, New Orleans and New York. Most were at 70db or lower, with some exceptions. The reason, he said, is because hearing can be damaged when noise is louder than 70db for an extended period of time.

"One person's want for entertainment does not supersede another person's right to physical and mental well being," Walkingstick said. "Seventy decibels is the point at which you start damaging another person."

Amelio responded that he wasn't interested in what other cities were doing, he was focused on what was best for Pacific Grove.

Mayor Nick Smith and councilmembers Chaps Poduri and Tina Rau joined Amelio in backing the higher decibel level. There was about an hour of public comment that had people arguing both for and against.

The vote to direct City Attorney Brian Pierik to come back with an amended ordinance was 4-2, with Councilmember Lori McDonnell voting no along with Walkingstick.