By Shannon Fiecke, Correspondant

Loud music will be banned in late evening hours at street dances and other large events in Scott County’s rural areas, under new restrictions approved last week by the County Board.

After tabling the issue at a previous meeting, the board passed an amended proposal that still bans amplified music after 10 p.m. on weekdays, but allows it until 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday nights, provided a county deputy is on hand to monitor noise.

Previously, the county did not limit hours of outdoor music for large assemblies, although state noise rules did apply, County Planner Marty Schmitz said. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency considers 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. as night-time hours, with stricter restrictions on outdoor noise. C

oncerned about the proposed restriction on music, Commissioners Tom Wolf of Savage and Joe Wagner of Sand Creek Township asked at the April 14 board meeting for more information and time to consider the proposed amendment.

In reviewing similar ordinances from cities in the county and communities adjacent to the county, Schmitz found that some permitted music after 10 p.m., but they required state noise standards be met. He returned to the board last week with the revised proposal.

Other modifications

The County Board also approved a ban on overnight camping at large events, except for security personnel.

The Planning Commission recommended this restriction because it felt camping wasn’t an appropriate activity for some of the large events and because it wanted to try to stay away from multi-day events that would affect neighboring properties, Schmitz said.

The new restrictions were prompted by an effort to clarify the application process for large-assembly permits. The county’s Planning Department is now charged with handling applications, whereas before no department was specifically tasked with the duty, so various offices processed permits. The revised rules have been incorporated into the county zoning code, instead of a stand-alone ordinance of the county code.

 The threshold for large-assembly permits will continue to be crowds anticipated at 250 or more, but permits for events that draw between 250 to 499 people will no longer require approval by the County Board.

Since the large-assembly ordinance was last updated in 1998, six permits have been issued for events (such as charity cook-offs, street dances and bike races). In recent years, the county has received more inquiries by rural taverns and restaurants to hold events that draw more than 250 people.  

Establishments whose conditional-use permits already permit large-scale events do not need large-assembly permits. F

our of the last permits were issued to Country Prime Time in rural Jordan and Doherty’s Tavern in rural Prior Lake. Both business owners were agreeable to the change, Schmitz told county commissioners on April 28: “They felt it was good that it just be consistent across the board.” 

 Shannon Fiecke can be reached at (952) 345-6679 or sfiecke@swpub.com.