Residents who live near Track 29 say loud music from concerts at the site can be oppressive.

Chattanooga City Council plan to allow higher noise limits in certain parts of downtown.

A large crowd gathered tonight to voice their thoughts for the city's proposed sound ordinance that would create an entertainment area where venues with permits could crank up their music until midnight on the weekend.

From business owners to Southside residents, people mainly spoke in favor of the ordinance, but several wanted to see some changes. Some Council members also proposed changes.

Deb Royal, whose spearheaded the complaints against Track 29 and has been working with the city on the ordinance, said she believes the sound levels - at 80 decibel levels and 90 for the bass levels until midnight on the weekend and 11 p.m. on weekdays - is too high and needs to be lowered. But she agreed with the enforcement piece of the law.

Several venue owners, including owners of The Camp House and Flying Squirrel, said they were in favor of the ordinance. Others asked that the permit process not be too expensive for owners to meet.

One of the enforcement tools the ordinance creates is to have bass level limits. It would also create a multiple-step process to acquire a sound permit and a new 3-member board for venues to appeal if their sound permit is revoked or application not accepted.

See tomorrow's Times Free Press for complete details.