Should Bryan County have a noise ordinance?
That was the question at hand for the Bryan County commissioners July 10 when the board discussed noise complaints from a South Bryan resident.
And while the commissioners took no action on the matter during their regular meeting in Pembroke, County Administrator Phil Jones told the commissioners about several complaints from a resident who lived near to Fish Tales and Fort McAllister Marina who claims the live music played there can be heard in their home.
Jones also said Butch Broome, the owner of Fish Tales, has installed a meter to monitor the decibel reading when music is played.
“Mr. Broome, who operates the restaurant in that facility, did buy a meter so that he can actually go out and measure the (decibel) limit at his property line,” Jones said. “He has consistently done that and reported those measurements, and most of the time those have been in the 50-60 … range, which is certainly acceptable limit for a commercial enterprise.”
Broome told commissioners he has made numerous changes since first receiving the noise complaints.
“When we have outside music, we used to run it to 11 or 11:30 (p.m.) — we’ve cut that out now to 10 or 10:30 (p.m.) ...,” Broome said. “We will not have anymore drums, no bands that have horns. (Liquid) Ginger is the only one that’s really loud, so we moved her inside.”
Commissioner Jimmy Henderson asked how common noise complaints across the county were.
“Truthfully, I don’t think we get one a month, and most of that is dog barking,” Jones said, noting the county does have an ordinance addressing barking dogs.

Read more in the July 18 edition of the News.