Noise complaints part of 'growing pains' as downtown evolves (Macon: apartments, insurance)

[Airforceguy]

IMO, this a good problem to have.
Noise complaints part of 'growing pains' as downtown Macon evolves | The Telegraph

[midgeorgiaman]

Yes and no. If one buys a condo next to a restaurant and several bars, one should expect some noise.

[cwkimbro]

I agree with Airforceguy. This is a bad byproduct of a good thing.

Some food for thought....

The restrictive ordinance makes me think Macon has gotten away too long without having to create better defined ordinances.

I agree people should expect some noise in some locations, but it appears local policy has not evolved to properly set limits as to what that should realistically be and a one-size-fits-all won't work.


There needs to be some real, tangible limiting factor in place. Something that divides the... well you moved into an entertainment district and you must deal with some noise vs. yea, but does my apartment need to shake from the bass subs 2 floors down at 11pm 4 nights a week and there is really no realistic way the average person can go to bed.

They also need to set legal policy to go hand and hand with zoning policy moving forward. There is a relationship and it often goes overlooked by the average person. There is a reason in some larger successful cities there might be one street with many bars that might have some loft apartments, but the new residential highrises are not directly on that street.... but very nearby in just 1/2 a block in either direction.

You allow more noise in some locations, you do set some tangible limit, and then you zone most larger scale growth in residential units to be slightly distanced from the loudest part. That area can have stricter noise ordinances.

The more successful and urban an area is, the more a small difference like half a block matters when it comes to policy.

Other ideas would include ensuring no building housing a music or noise generating venue uses the 1-2 floors directly above it for residential purposes. Loud late night bars are often better below small office space used by small businesses (ie. insurance agents, CPAs, etc...) as the times they are loud do not interfere with typical business operations.

[MadDogTheArtist]

Amazing; after years of downtown nightlife development and nearly nightly live music now the effort is to deter it. Downtown at night is headed back to boring. I guess it's just too many old folks down there.