#1
KazeSPL
IASCA Certified Judge
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Panama City ,FL
Posts: 114
Stereo Ordinance
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Stereo Ordinance in St Louis. Competitors and Shop Owners Beware!
Below is a copy of an article about the new sound ordinance in Saint Louis. The new law will limit the number of speakers, size of speakers, and allow for impounding and large fines.
two ten inch subs - ILLEGAL
one 15 inch sub - ILLEGAL
amp larger than 300 watts - ILLEGAL
Installing any of the above - ILLEGAL
Store owners could be fined for selling these items.
The industry and the CEA must act in this most serious matter!
Here's the story.....
City police would be able to seize cars blasting loud music under an ordinance passed Friday by the Board of Aldermen.
The ordinance, which would take effect once signed by Mayor Francis Slay, prohibits the use and even installation of some enhanced speakers.
Alderman Craig Schmid's proposal easily had enough votes to pass, but only after aldermen turned up the volume on their own concerns. Impounding a car for playing loud music is too severe, opponents said, and ripe for abuse.
"It's almost idiotic for us to take somebody's car for something like that," Alderman Stephen Conway said.
Schmid said he wanted to send a "strong message" to drivers who cruise through residential areas, jarring neighbors and rattling windows.
"I analogize it to auditory graffiti," Schmid said.
Other aldermen said loud music coming from cars is among their top complaints from constituents. The music gets so loud, said Alderman Dionne Flowers, that when "you're in bed, you fall out."
The bill would prohibit operating car that creates "louder volume than is necessary for convenient, normal hearing," which is the same language as the city's current anti-noise ordinance.
But the new measure would outlaw possessing or installing any car stereo with a speaker over a foot in diameter; having more than one speaker 10 inches in diameter; more than 10 speakers overall; more than two amplifiers; and any amplifier over 300 watts.
In addition to impounding the car, possible penalties include a minimum of $250 fine on the first offense and $500 on subsequent offenses within a year.
The city's push to quiet loud music is not new - the Board of Aldermen passed a bill targeting cars with loud music 10 years ago.
On Friday, some aldermen complained that the measure is heavy-handed. Stephen Gregali, who represents the 14th Ward, questioned whether police would get rulers to measure the length of speakers.
"It's like killing an ant with a howitzer," Alderman Charles Q. Troupe said of the measure.
Bob Pfeiffer, who has been installing custom car stereos for 23 years in St. Louis, said the ordinance could destroy his business.
"I might as well lock my doors now," said Pfeiffer, who operates Automotion Alarm and Car Stereo on North Broadway.
Not all "tricked out" stereos are used for cruising and thumping music, said Pfeiffer, whose his clients include jazz musicians.
"What a crock," Pfeiffer said. "It's really a bogus bill."
If this sort of legislation is allowed to stand our industry is at serious risk. we can no longer sit by and allow this to happen.
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