Residents urge action as council acknowledges gap in noise ordinance affecting Africa Town businesses

Residents of Africa Town told the Mobile City Council on Feb. 24 that commercial activity adjacent to their neighborhood is producing persistent, disruptive noise and that current city rules limit enforcement.

"I'm asking you, relocate them and untie Mobile Police Department here so they can help us out," resident Walter Moore said, describing loud industrial sounds coming from companies he identified near his house. Moore said noises from tailgates and equipment occur frequently through the night and interfere with sleep.

Commander Graves and other city staff responded that the city's noise ordinance, as written, primarily addresses music and similar disturbances and does not allow citations for businesses producing noise while conducting normal operations. "Our noise ordinance does not apply to commercial businesses," Graves said, adding that the current code does regulate specific circumstances such as dumpster emptying hours.

Ramsey Sprague, chair of the Mobile NAACP environmental and climate justice committee, urged the council to ensure any proposed changes to enforcement or ordinance language would protect residents and avoid unintended exemptions for nonconforming properties. "We were told that they would not enforce the noise ordinance on that block," Sprague said, and asked that proposals be reviewed with community input.

Council members asked the city attorney and staff to examine options for strengthening the ordinance or amending provisions so police can respond effectively when businesses generate persistent noise near homes. Several members suggested the matter be discussed in a public meeting and that any ordinance change be crafted to address commercial operations and nonconforming uses abutting residential areas.

The council did not adopt an ordinance at the meeting but directed staff to research legal options and report back. That follow-up will determine whether citations can be issued immediately or whether a code amendment will be required.