11/14/2011: Article from the Sun News Hawaii by Brian Anderson. Perhaps Bill 55 Will Be Defeated.
A Quieter O'ahu cannot, however, agree with Mr. Anderson that noise meters are the answer. They've been tried again, and again in various municipalities and proven unsuccessful as enforcement tools. The "Plainly Audible Standard" that we discuss on this site is more reasonable, and has successfully withstood court challenges in many municipalities stateside where this standard has been adopted. Too, to suggest that "…trying to make a living.." is license to create as much noise as you want just doesn't pass muster. That's like saying if you need to commit other more aggravated crimes that impact society "to make a living" then your actions are somehow justified. Nonetheless, Mr. Anderson't article is provided below.
The Sound Ordinance rewrite known as Bill 55, was given a rebuff by the Committee on Safety, Economic Development and Government Affairs yesterday October 11,2011 at Honolulu Hale. The bill was intended to discriminate against street artists primarily and their first amendment expressive rights. the Waikiki Improvement Association sponsored the Bill and wants to curb noise in Waikiki.
"The Bill was fraught with shortcomings, it intended to extend the audible sound limit from 30 feet to 100 feet and add the term “produced sound" to the Ordnance already in existence. This editor spoke against passage out of committee of the Bill, and the Committee agreed. The Bill should be made to include "Universal" enforcement against all who are in violation, including the big hotels ,shopping centers and bars and restaurants ,as well as street artists and street performers. In the Editors opinion is should be enforced after 10 PM every night with a zero tolerance against all noise producers.
The Real large contributors to noise in Waikiki are the BIG shopping centers and the bars and restaurants who produce noise that one can clearly hear for hundreds of feet from their propertys at times, most notably Waikiki Shopping Plaza and Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center. Also the word" Reproduced' should be removed from the language of the Bill ,as this was included when CD players were the rage and "BOOM BOXES" caused lots of noise ,these items are rarely in use now.Waikiki Improvement Association says they are not against Street Artists, yet every action in city hall they either support financially or back is just the opposite, they actually are talking out of both sides of their mouth on this issue, we are not fooled by their lies.
They are dark Hearted haters in this instance, and need to be reprimanded by citizens for their pursuit of these people most of whom are trying to make a living. Additionally, their needs to be enforcement based on Decibel meters and by the Honolulu Police Department against all Violators, and not the liquor commission or perhaps by both office .A meter would eliminate subjective opinions and base citations on a certifiable basis. We hope this bill is reintroduced with this ideas in it, and all parties help in reducing noise in Waikiki, not just the ones with power and money and bought influence at city hall against the others who do not have the same financial impact.
Link to the original article in Sun News Hawaii HERE.
"The Bill was fraught with shortcomings, it intended to extend the audible sound limit from 30 feet to 100 feet and add the term “produced sound" to the Ordnance already in existence. This editor spoke against passage out of committee of the Bill, and the Committee agreed. The Bill should be made to include "Universal" enforcement against all who are in violation, including the big hotels ,shopping centers and bars and restaurants ,as well as street artists and street performers. In the Editors opinion is should be enforced after 10 PM every night with a zero tolerance against all noise producers.
The Real large contributors to noise in Waikiki are the BIG shopping centers and the bars and restaurants who produce noise that one can clearly hear for hundreds of feet from their propertys at times, most notably Waikiki Shopping Plaza and Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center. Also the word" Reproduced' should be removed from the language of the Bill ,as this was included when CD players were the rage and "BOOM BOXES" caused lots of noise ,these items are rarely in use now.Waikiki Improvement Association says they are not against Street Artists, yet every action in city hall they either support financially or back is just the opposite, they actually are talking out of both sides of their mouth on this issue, we are not fooled by their lies.
They are dark Hearted haters in this instance, and need to be reprimanded by citizens for their pursuit of these people most of whom are trying to make a living. Additionally, their needs to be enforcement based on Decibel meters and by the Honolulu Police Department against all Violators, and not the liquor commission or perhaps by both office .A meter would eliminate subjective opinions and base citations on a certifiable basis. We hope this bill is reintroduced with this ideas in it, and all parties help in reducing noise in Waikiki, not just the ones with power and money and bought influence at city hall against the others who do not have the same financial impact.
Link to the original article in Sun News Hawaii HERE.