County judge suspends noise prohibition until midnight

County Judge Darryl Mahoney has temporarily limited the county’s noise ordinance, according to a county court order signed Wednesday.

The ordinance prohibits disturbances after 10 p.m., but the order Mahoney entered delays the restriction for “organized, commercial and public outdoor events” until midnight. Amending an ordinance typically requires quorum court approval, but the emergency declaration Mahoney issued in March to respond to the coronavirus allows him to unilaterally suspend or alter provisions in the county code.

The suspension of the noise prohibition until midnight will remain in

effect for 30 days from Wednesday or sooner if the emergency declaration is rescinded before then. Extending the declaration beyond 120 days requires quorum court approval.

Mahoney said Friday that he issued the order to help businesses in the unincorporated area of the county that may have events that run past 10 p.m.

“That’s an effort to try to help our businesses around the county that might have events this summer that would run past 10 o’clock in the evening,” he said. “It’s good for 30 days right now. We’ll see how it does over the 30-day period, and we’ll reevaluate.

“I know the fairgrounds and some places on the lake might have events, even fireworks, that may run past 10 o’clock at night. I want to give them an opportunity to get their feet back under them as best they can. The county and city are both going to do everything we can to help our local businesses recover from this 60-day period they’ve had. In an effort to help with that, I pushed that back to midnight.”

The recital section of the order cited concerts, rodeos and demolition derbies as examples of “organized, commercial and public outdoor events.”

The order imposes the noise prohibition from midnight to 6 a.m.