INDIAN ROCKS BEACH – On the eve of one of the loudest weekends of the year, Indian Rocks Beach residents might experience a little more quiet this Fourth of July – but just a little.
Pinellas County sheriff’s deputies are poised to begin enforcing a state law regarding motorcycle mufflers.
Two weeks ago local innkeeper Jim Labadie presented a petition to city commissioners with more than 50 signatures asking Sheriff Jim Coats to crack down on loud motorcycle operators. The commission agreed.
Last week the city was informed by the sheriff that a limited enforcement policy would be put in place and deputies would be on the watch for motorcyclists operating unlawful, modified muffler systems sometimes called straight pipes.
For several years residents along Gulf Boulevard have complained about the nuisance noise of motorcycles with modified pipes disrupting the quiet. In particular, residents pointed to the weekend gathering of motorcycle patron at local bars. According to the Sheriff’s Office, the complaints were hard to investigate because of a shortage of sound monitoring equipment. The county has only four decibel meters for the entire county, according to their public information office. By the time a deputy responded to a complaint, the alleged offensive vehicle was either silenced or gone.
Labadie and his friend, state Sen. Steve Oelrich, decided to concentrate on another part of the law which prohibits modifying mufflers in order to produce more noise than allowed by federal regulations; in Florida just the modification is sufficient to cite the owner.
Labadie said after Tuesday’s City Commission meeting, “This will be just a limited enforcement effort, limited to Indian Rocks Beach, but it’s a good start.”
City readies for hurricane season
City commissioners adopted a recommendation by city staff to enter into a contract with the city of Largo for disaster debris cleanup and disposal. In 2004-05 Florida was impacted by a record seven hurricanes and one tropical storm leaving Pinellas County some 300,000 cubic yards of debris in their wake. The commission is seeking to insure the city’s capacity for emergency cleanup faced with a similar situation.
In 2007 the city entered into an agreement with the county for debris cleanup and disposal services following a natural disaster.
Recently it was announced that FEMA found that the agreement between the county and Indian Rocks Beach did not meet the requirement that the city must be able to select removal contractors based on its own bid process, but rather would have to depend on the county’s bid selection guidelines.
The agreement between Largo and Indian Rocks Beach allows both administrations to share the contractor selection process as partners in what the contract names “Post Disaster Debris Management and Site Disposal Monitoring.”
The resolution passed unanimously.
Mayor R.B. Johnson said, “The agreement has no fiscal impact on the city now and we’ll be responsible only for apportioned costs following any future cleanup, and those may be reimbursed by FEMA.”
