During Thursday's meeting, Cedar Park City Council approved changes to its noise regulations that limits the allowable level of sound residential and nonresidential properties can generate in the city.

City staff conducted a noise assessment study that centered around Lone Star Grille & Amphitheater in the spring of 2016 and examined sound ordinances in other cities. Based on those results, a sound consultant recommended changes to the city’s current noise regulations.

Sam Roberts, an assistant city manager in Cedar Park, said decibel measurements were taken at Lone Star Grille’s property line, which sits on East New Hope Drive, and at two locations inside the Cedar Park Town Center, a residential neighborhood about one-third of a mile away on the opposite side of Toll 183A.

He said a sound consultant from the firm Dickensheets Design Associates took measurements at the three locations when no music was playing at Lone Star Grille and during a concert event. Measurements were taken with two types of decibel measurements—one that measures mid- and high-frequency sounds, or A decibel, and another that measures low frequency sound, or bass noises, called C decibel, which are usually the source of common complaints, Roberts said.

Cedar Park’s previous noise ordinance allowed for 85 decibels during the day and 70 decibels at night, which is defined between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.

However, if a citizen called the city to report a noise complaint, the sound ordinance dictates that the measurement would be taken from the location where the complaint was filed rather than at the property line of the sound source.

In changes to the noise ordinance, city staff and sound consultant Ken Dickensheets recommended moving the measurement location to the property line of the source of the sound. Dickensheets said that would be the most significant change to the ordinance, and it would result in about a 20-25 decibel drop.

City staff also recommended creating separate categories for residential and nonresidential properties and encouraged City Council to adopt both types of decibel limits. Roberts said the second decibel limit will limit the amount of bass that businesses and residential homes can give off.

Under the new ordinance, the decibel limits for nonresidential properties would be 75 A decibels and 85 C decibels during the daytime hours of 7 a.m.-10 p.m. and 65 A decibels and 75 C decibels during the nighttime hours of 10 p.m.-7 a.m.

For residential properties, the decibel limit would be 70 A decibels and 80 C decibels during daytime hours and 50 A decibels and 60 C decibels during nighttime hours.

“The goal of the recommendations are twofold: to reduce the noise level in neighborhoods and to keep music venues viable,” Roberts said to council members.

Rick Redmond, the owner of Lone Star Grille & Amphitheater, appeared before council and asked City Council not to rush into a decision.

He said he measured decibel levels of more than 65 decibels at his property line when customers talk in his outdoor venue. That noise level would not be allowed after 10 p.m. under the new ordinance, so Redmond said the new regulations mean he would not be able to have outdoor live music after 10 p.m.

He also said Lone Star Grille would no longer be viable because he cannot have his bands play earlier, and most of his customer base comes to see larger acts after 10 p.m.

“I ask you to really look at this before you make a vote,“ he said.

Some council members said Lone Star Grille was the city’s main outdoor live music venue, but that others could come to Cedar Park in the future. Several said they were concerned about the unintended consequences of the stricter regulations, since the noise ordinance affects the majority of properties in the city.

“This is not just about the Cedar Park Town Center and Lone Star Grille,” Council member Kristyne Bollier said. “I’m trying to understand the other impacts beyond music venues or restaurants.”

Council members ultimately adopted the changes to the noise ordinance with an extension until 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays for nonresidential properties.

They also noted that they would see how the new regulations work in case they decide to make adjustments in the future.

“We might have to come back in six months and look at this again,” Council Member Corbin Van Arsdale said.