City Council Approves Noise Ordinance, Sewer Permit and Fee Changes

On Tuesday evening, the Half Moon Bay City Council voted 5-0 to approve an ordinance aimed at preventing nighttime disturbances, noise, and unruly gatherings. The new ordinance will be in effect from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. daily. While first-time offenders will be cited with an infraction, those who repeat the offense in 48 hours will be charged with a misdemeanor.

According to Half Moon Bay Police Sgt. Dennis Loubal, who often works night shifts, the noise and disturbance problem that prompted the ordinance was not related to city residents. "It was centered more around those that rent the IDES Hall for parties and other events," he said. Loubal mentioned that incidents had taken place at the sports bar and restaurant at Stone Pine Center as well.

The council also approved amendments to the sewer permits and fees section of the municipal code. The amendment changed the method used to calculate sewer fees based on recommendations from the city's December 2010 Sewer Connection Fee Study, which, according to the city, is less complicated than the previous method. Fees will be based on an "equitable pro-rata share of the replacement cost for existing sewer connection, treatment and sewage disposal facilities, and the cost of any additional improvements required to serve the applicant's premises." Those wishing to hook up a new connection would have to pay for city permits -- including a street excavation permit -- as well as the cost for the city to inspect the line. The sewer treatment capacity equalization fee was also repealed.

A lengthy collection of what City Attorney Tony Condotti called "cleanup amendments" was also voted in by all councilmembers. According to Condotti, many of these amendments were proposed to remove inconsistencies, contradiction, and ambiguity in the municipal code -- as well as bringing outdated code up to date. A full list of the amendments voted in can be accessed in a PDF staff report attached to article.

The city officially accepted memorial and commemorative bench donations from the committee honoring Vic Tigerman nd Dave Iverson. While Tigerman's bench will be installed at the , the bench for Iverson will be placed in front of the . The commemorative bench for James Fox will provide another a place to sit in front of .

A proclamation congratulating the on their 10th anniversary in Half Moon Bay could not be presented as no representative from the hotel could attend the meeting.

City Clerk Siobhan Smith said that Mayor Naomi Patridge will bring the proclamation to the hotel next week.