Bellaire leaders are inviting the public to attend their first town hall meeting regarding their city’s noise and lighting ordinances.

Dig deeper: Mayor Andrew Friedberg said at the May 15 City Council meeting that the focus will be trying to solve the issues that affect quality of life in the city, especially “if the current ordinances aren’t fitting” the city’s needs. City leaders also discussed the possibility of piloting a plan that could be less restrictive to see if it solves the problem.

“I’m keenly interested to hear what the public has to say. Hopefully we’re going to get good participation. Hopefully we’re going to get good input,” Friedberg said.

Designed by Jatziri Garcia

The context: Bellaire's Planning and Zoning Commission members and City Council have been working together to refine and combine the city’s existing noise and lighting ordinances.

  • Research completed in 2022 by Bellaire’s Planning and Zoning Commission found the city’s current compliance standards and penalties for violations regarding noise regulations were inconsistent.
  • The commission also found Bellaire’s existing lighting regulations offered little guidance and were too general.
  • City Council held workshops March 20, April 3 and May 1 to discuss possible amendments regarding noise.
  • Workshops were also held March 20 and April 17 to discuss possible amendments regarding lighting.

Quote of note: “Noise and lighting issues have been an important aspect of many applications considered by the commission in recent years, and a review of complaints filed with the Bellaire Police Department and code enforcement suggest quality of life concerns exist in the city,” Planning and Zoning Commission Chair Weldon Taylor said in a February statement to City Council.

What to expect: City staff said that they will work on a simplified version of ordinances for the public.

  • Possibly a high-level comparison chart regarding the current and proposed noise and lighting ordinances

What’s next: Residents and business leaders are invited to attend the public town hall meeting.

Tuesday, June 6

Bellaire City Hall

7008 S. Rice Ave.

6 p.m.

To see the latest iteration of Bellaire’s noise/lighting draft: Click here.