Cape Coral approves noise ordinance to limit city noise at night

Cape Coral City Council approved an ordinance in a 5-2 vote at its regular meeting Monday to considerably reduce the amount of noise allowed after 11 p.m. throughout Cape Coral.

This will, in effect, prohibit amplified sound outside buildings. It’s something residents near the south Cape Coral entertainment district have been fighting for.

Many people visit the downtown Cape Coral area to hear live music. But any loud sound in the city will have to be stopped or brought indoors by 11 p.m. under the ordinance approved by city council. The only way to circumvent these new conditions would be through a permit for a special event.

Neighbors who live nearby the entertainment district think the change is long overdue.

But not everyone is in favor of this new city plan. Musician Skyler Enrico said people are not going to come to his shows. He said, they will go, “Somewhere else that’s going to be open til midnight, two o’clock in the morning.”

The ordinance applies to the entire city, and Cape Coral police will now be able to issue citations even if they are not present to measure decibel levels. Instead, they will go through sworn statements of witnesses. Fines for disobeying the noise ordinance are $150 for a first offense and $500 for subsequent offenses.