Over the past decade, North County residents weary of a growing problem of loud parties most weekends have worked in vain to get the Monterey County Board of Supervisors to pass an enforceable noise ordinance. An ordinance passed in 2019 failed to yield any citations. Now as the problem seeps into the South County region, an effort to update the ordinance hit a roadblock on Feb. 8, when the ordinance’s opponents, largely Latino residents who were silent in past debates, began to speak out and boldly declare racism.
“This ordinance is yet another microaggression toward our Hispanic community who continue practicing and embracing our cultural traditions through the use of live music, particularly on weekends when weddings, religious sacraments and loved ones are celebrated,” said Lilia Valencia. The community is being “silenced and harassed by our new neighbors who are not accepting these traditions.”
Residents advocating for change have long said it isn’t about the type of music played, which is often Mexican banda music, but about the volume. Amplified music reverberates through canyons of rural communities.
The long-time North County resident who has been leading efforts to create a more enforceable ordinance, Sabrina Carillo, wrote in an email to supervisors after the meeting that half of the residents she represents are Latino. “The current opposition is trying to use culture and racism as a tool to diminish the real problem and bring sympathy to people who do not want to adhere to being considerate and respectful neighbors,” Carillo wrote.
The existing ordinance, as amended in 2019, calls for nighttime hours from 9pm-7am. During that time, no “plainly audible” noise, or a maximum of 65 decibels, is allowed 50 feet from the source in any direction. It also caps noise at 85 decibels in daytime hours.
The proposed ordinance would prohibit unreasonable noise between 7pm-7am. It would increase fines from $250 for a misdemeanor first offense to $1,000, with possible jail time, and adds in potential fines.
The possibility of stiff fines and jail time gave some supervisors pause, despite assurances from a Sheriff’s Office representative that they’re not looking to arrest people for noise. The supervisors voted 4-1, with Supervisor John Phillips dissenting, to bring a redrafted ordinance back within 45 days. Phillips said the residents he represents in North County have been waiting long enough for relief, adding “they feel we’re dragging our feet.”