The noise ordinance was put into place at least 5 yrs. ago. Most people who live on the islands are live-and-let-live kinds of people, so there are rarely complaints if a gathering is celebratory, rather than belligerent or violent. We live in a live-and-let-live community for the most part, and understand the need to celebrate as a healthy human trait.
I am disturbed greatly by the turn our laws are taking. When celebration starts to be strictly legislated, there is something very, very wrong. Part of the joy for working people in any culture is in celebration. We joyously celebrate our people and the events in their lives.
The Oddfellows is a fraternal fellowship that gives Madrona Club scholarships to seniors, donates cord wood to the community, and does a lot of other good deeds for our community. The Oddfellows Hall is their major fundraising venue, and the rent from their events goes into their community fund to help many others, as well as for repairs and renovations for the building. For many, many years, the Oddfellows Hall has hosted a whole lot of social events: dances, weddings, concerts, parties, dinners, potlucks, talks, fundraisers for other organizations, classes, and the like.
The handful of vocal complainers about noise present a problem for the Oddfellows and for all of us who love the celebrations there, and have for many years. What to do?
First would be to find out whether Oddfellows Hall (and other social venues on the island), by virtue of longevity, non-profit status, and specific function as a social hall, is grandfathered in. (this may take some digging around to copies of older laws). All of these halls and venues ought to have exemption from the noise ordinance in my opinion. They’ve been in existence hosting all manner of happy celebrations long before the complainers moved nearby.
If Oddfellows Hall and the other social venues are not grandfathered, the next step would be to start petitions circulating that would exempt the Oddfellows Hall, the Grange, and other event venues from the noise ordinance, and work hard to get it on the November ballot. I would like to see the larger population decide about what we can do and when we can do it for a change, instead of a few special interests people and the county council. The few dictating the the many is a very disturbing trend that must be nipped in the bud.
I also think that the county should overturn the 10 pm noise cutoff time for Friday and Saturday nights, and up the time til at least midnight. I question why is it suddenly not ok for people of all ages to continue the tradition of celebration that is so good for our hearts and souls.
28 years of living here full time is plenty long enough to have attended many wonderful and joyous celebrations at the Oddfellows Hall and the Grange. Let’s keep Orcas Island a place where we can continue to celebrate with people of all ages.
Petitioning may give us the leverage to overturn or amend these special interest laws that the people never got to vote on in the first place.
Sadie Bailey
Eastsound, Wa.
It looks like there may not need to be a petition for change. The current code says that all public events are exempt, and also private events where a permit has been obtained. So, if it is an island-wide public event, no problem, and if it’s a wedding or birthday party, just obtain a permit. The issue over the weekend appears to have been a private event with no permit, the only situation where merrimaking late into the night is not exempt from the noise ordinance. Then only the Grange’s and Oddfellows Hall’s policies would need to be followed, whatever they are.
It looks like there may not need to be a petition for change. The current code says that all public events are exempt, and also private events where a permit has been obtained. So, if it is an island-wide public event, no problem, and if it’s a wedding or birthday party, just obtain a permit. The issue over the weekend appears to have been a private event with no permit, the only situation where merrimaking late into the night is not exempt from the noise ordinance. Then only the Grange’s and Oddfellows Hall’s policies would need to be followed, whatever they are.
It looks like there may not need to be a petition for change. The current code says that all public events are exempt, and also private events where a permit has been obtained. So, if it is an island-wide public event, no problem, and if it’s a wedding or birthday party, just obtain a permit. The issue over the weekend appears to have been a private event with no permit, the only situation where merrimaking late into the night is not exempt from the noise ordinance. Then only the Grange’s and Oddfellows Hall’s policies would need to be followed, whatever they are.